Love and Obsession
by michelly1
Summary: Her crush had turned into love, his love turned into obsession. His obsession became Bella's nightmare... but he only wanted her... and what he wanted he always got. B/James at first then B/E
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer / The names of actual Forks establishments are used in this story. No infringement intended.

**A/N: This is my very first fanfic. I hope you enjoy. I've had this story rolling around in my haed for awhile and I'm anxious to hear some feedback. **

**This story starts in the present time, then Bella will take us back to her freshman year when everything started. When we finally catch back up to the present don't worry the story is far from over! **

*****Posible tissue warning*****

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BPOV

May 2009 (Present Day)

I woke up today feeling extremely relaxed. I actually got a full night's rest, even though I couldn't stop thinking about her. I saw the sun shining in through the blinds and knew it was going to be another gorgeous day. I laid with the covers over me for a few minutes before finally sitting up and stretching. I did not want to leave the comfort of this bed, but I knew it was time to start my day. Looking over at the clock I noticed it was 8:30, Emmett was going to want breakfast soon and I desperately needed to do his laundry. The mountain of clothes on the floor of his room was starting to develop an extremely grotesque smell.

Hesitantly, I removed my blankets and swung my legs over the bed. I really didn't feel like getting in the shower right now and since I took one last night I wasn't in a rush to hop in. So, I opted for door number two, which led to the hallway. I hopped out of bed and pranced my way to the door, dodging a few toys that were scattered on the floor, how someone so little can make such a big mess, I have no idea. Opening the door I found myself nearly skipping my way down the hallway so I could make my way out to start breakfast.

I padded my way down the stairs deciding to make waffles and bacon. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I noticed the TV was on in the living room. Usually Emmett doesn't get up till 9:00, so it could only mean one other person, the man I had secretly fallen in love with, Edward. He basically lived here so it was no surprise to see him lying on the coach, covered with a blanket and a light snore escaping his lips. The TV was left on Sports Center, because even though men slept, apparently they would be able to hear all the details of their sports and absorb them better while they rested their eyes. I laughed thinking about that conversation when Edward and Emmett informed me of these hidden talents that men have with ESPN.

I stood there watching him for a few minutes. His one hand laid over his chest, his long fingers wrapped around the softness of the Nemo blanket, while the other hand stretched over his tousled head. He was pretty tall, so his feet would hang over the other arm of the couch trying to make room for his frame. Looking at him, I couldn't help but remember how he used to come to my room and hold me after my nightmares. They don't happen that much anymore, but back at the beginning, they happened a lot. Each time was the same, I'd wake up screaming and crying and Edward would rush in and scoop me in his lap just rocking me back to safety. He always talked me down from my panic and then he'd slide us both under the covers where he would hold me until we both fell asleep.

That's when I started developing feelings for him. He'd always be there when I woke up and he never pushed for me to talk about it. I didn't want to talk about it, so he would just hold me while I cried and then keep me safe while I slept. He was always there for me; he was even there when we welcomed her into our lives. I never thanked him and he never acted like it was a burden, we just had this silent way of expressing our feelings without talking about them.

I think Emmett was more grateful than I was for Edward. Big ol' tough Emmett was actually too much of a softy and couldn't control his own emotions seeing his baby sister in that state. He attempted a few times, but it always ended in his tears and frustration because he couldn't "fix" it. I think Emmett lasted a week before turning it over to Edward. Emmett just didn't understand I wasn't ready to talk about it, I just wanted to be held, just wanted to feel safe. I do feel safe with my brother but he always tried to push me for all the information, but he was the last person that I wanted to know.

Snapping out of my ogling session, I turned and made my way to the kitchen. I figured while I waited for the bacon I could start some of the laundry. Oddly enough, when I went to the washing machine Emmett had an enormous pile in front of it on the floor. Most of these were UW shirts from his daily runs, where'd he'd flick them off and toss them aside coming into the house. At least I didn't have to sort anything out; this would be one load of the same sweaty crap thrown together. I enjoyed cooking and cleaning and taking care of people, so it doesn't bother me doing these things for my 21 year old brother, but honestly how hard is it to put the clothes in the flipping hampers? I know he sees them, he drops the shirts right in front of them.

Laundry started and breakfast almost finished, I heard both men waking up and starting to move around in the living room. Neither one of them were big coffee drinkers so I never make it in the mornings, otherwise, I probably would be bringing two mugs with me right now to the living room. Instead I'm empty handed and just want to say good morning.

Both Edward and Emmett were sitting on opposite sides of the couch watching "their" channel with such intensity it was almost scary. Apparently, football season has ended and now baseball highlights are on. I enjoy watching games with my brother, really I do, but he watches every game. I mean EVERY game. Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, American, Canadian, East coast, west coast, college, you name it, he knows it. But then again it's his passion, if someone asked me about different cheeses, hell I could list ten right off the bat, just goes to show you what a person is passionate about. Not so much cheese for me just food in general.

"Hello boys," I said to my two favorite men, tossing a tiny wave in the air.

"Hey Belly," both greeted me at the same time. Turning their heads just long enough to acknowledge me without being rude then proceeded to watch the same highlights they had seen yesterday. Whatever.

"Breakfast is almost done, how many waffles do you two want?" I really wasn't sure what their appetites were going to be.

Emmett flashed me my favorite dimply smile and let me know three would be suffice today, while Edward stuck with just two. I could suffice with one, so I knew there had been just enough batter for waffles because there were already four in the oven staying warm and one was almost finished now. I would just fix theirs up once I poured the rest of the batter in the waffle pan. I knew Emmett would want an insane amount of syrup and Edward would want a generous amount of powdered sugar. Both would want five pieces of bacon. I took them their plates and went back to the kitchen to check on mine. It still had a few minutes so I put the clothes in the dryer and started a new load, this one of towels.

Shutting the lid to the washing machine I yelled to my brother over my shoulder. "Emmett is it really hard to see the laundry basket next to the washing machine? Because I swear since we've moved here the only items in it are the ones I put inside." Not really expecting an answer I just wanted to let him know that there really is a place to put dirty clothes and the floor isn't it.

Heading back to the kitchen, I made my plate and walked in the living room to eat with my boys. I easily fit between the two on the coach so it was never a problem for us. Emmett seemed to be really hungry this morning, I was only half way done with mine and he just had bacon left. Edward too, I noticed.

"So I take it you liked them?" I said teasingly.

"The best."

"I need you to bring me down more of your clothes if you want them washed. Please tell me you want them washed Emmett. I can't take the smell much longer." I glanced over so he knew I was joking, but at the same time serious.

"Oh come on Belly, it's not that bad. Most of my socks pretty much walked away by themselves anyway."

"I don't think it's your feet I smell up there Emmett, maybe we should go under wear shopping for you soon." Both Edward and Emmett laughed at that one.

This was the best part of having a brother, the playful banter. It was pretty funny because Emmett always leaves himself open for jokes like that.

Our parents died in a car accident March of my 8th grade year. I was 14 and Emmett was 17 almost 18, so he was awarded guardianship of me and never complained once about it. In fact, Esme and Carlisle helped Emmett fight my aunts in court for custody. Emmett was having none of that. He pleaded his case to the judge and since I was old enough to make my own choice I chose to stay with him. I think we both needed each other at that time anyway. The Cullen's were technically our guardians until Emmett was legally able to take over wardship.

The last few months of that school year were a little difficult. The school threw so many events towards the end and I was without two of the most important people in my life. I know I had Emmett, and he was doing such a good job at being a big brother but still I missed my parents. It was difficult not getting to experience the mother-daughter brunch that the school threw for Mother's Day. That was one of the worst days I think. It was that day when it truly sunk in that I was never going to see my mother ever again.

_Mother's Day 2005_

_When I woke up today I planned on going to the school, the brunch was going to start at 11:00 and I wanted to at least show up and get the plaque I had made for my mother and the rose which was to be given to her. I was going to take them to her headstone. I put my dress on and did my hair in nice soft waves, added a little lip-gloss and grabbed my jacket to head out. When I got downstairs I saw Emmett sitting on the couch holding a picture and flowers in his lap, crying. He looked up when he heard me enter the living room and my heart jumped into my throat. His face was so sad and tears were streaming down his face. I couldn't hold it together after that, I threw myself into his arms and we both cried while holding on to each other. _

_I knew the picture he had in his hands; we had given it to my dad for Christmas last year. It was a picture I had taken of my mother when she was outside on the patio. Her hair was in a messy bun on top of her head and there were a few fly-a-ways around her face. The sun had hit her skin just right and it gave her this angelic glow. Her eyes had just the tiniest squint due to her facing the sun while she was watching Emmett and dad throw the football around in the front yard. She had the most beautiful closed lip smile; she just looked so full of love and in complete bliss in that moment I snapped the picture. I had to have it blown up for my father for a present. Emmett came with me that day and picked out a frame for it and we chose to have it developed in black and white, which only intensified her beauty. _

_We sat and cried for a good hour just holding each other and touching her picture. She was never going to be coming home. I'd never get to go shopping for prom dresses with her. She wasn't going to be teaching me make- up tricks or brush my hair when I was having a bad day. I'd never be able to make her breakfast in bed on her birthdays. Emmett would never get to sneak up and scare the crap out of her again, which he did on a daily basis. She wouldn't be there for his graduation or mine either. She wouldn't be able to dance with Emmett at his wedding whenever he and Rosalie choose to wed. Neither one of them were coming home, it was just us. We were both missing them so much and Mother's Day just hit us hard. _

_We wiped our faces and stood staring at her picture before I turned to Emmett, "Will you take me to Esme's?"_

_He didn't question anything he just hugged me once and we headed to the door. He still had his flowers and her picture in his hand as we left the house. The ride in his Jeep was very quiet but there weren't any words that needed to be spoken. He held my hand while we stared at the road ahead of us. As we reached the beginning of the drive way, this wave of grief flooded the Jeep and I knew Emmett was thinking the same thing as we looked at our mothers beautiful landscape design she did for the Cullen's. Her favorite flowers, Calla Lilies, surrounded the light posts which were at the start of the driveway. The entire drive up was surrounded by my mother's favorites. It's was beautiful, yet at the same time I was in complete misery. She was so talented and she put so much love into her job, it just radiated off this driveway, and it made me miss her that much more. _

_We pulled up to their house and noticed all their cars were parked in their usual spots, which meant everyone was home. They never cared that we stopped by unannounced, but today was a day for mothers to be with their children; I had a sudden case of panic thinking that we were going to intrude on their very intimate day. I think Emmett could sense this from me, because he squeezed my hand tighter and said, "There's no other place mom would want you to be." His voice was still so shaky and I knew he was on the verge of tears again. I squeezed his hand back and nodded my head. _

_We got out of the car and I noticed he still had the picture in his hand but only one flower this time. He came around to meet me on my side of the Jeep and we headed for the Cullen's door. Before Emmett had a chance to knock, Carlisle opened the door smiling at both of us. His face instantly turned to one of sorrow and compassion as he shook Emmett's hand. I didn't meet his eyes because the moment I looked over my brothers' shoulder I saw her standing there looking at me. I pushed past my brother and Carlisle, I completely ignored Edward and Alice who were at the stairs and I threw myself into her welcoming arms. I wanted to tell her sorry for ruining her day, I wanted to tell Alice I was sorry for stealing time she should be spending with her mother. I wanted to tell Edward I was sorry for interrupting, but I couldn't do anything but hold her for dear life. She held me just as tightly and let me cry. I cried for my loss, I cried for Emmett's loss, I cried for Esme's loss, I just cried because I missed my mom. _

_"I miss… her… so… much, "I finally choked out. "Why did she have to die? I want her back so bad." I could feel Esme shaking now too and realized she was crying with me. She just held me and stroked my hair like my mother used to do, which made me cry harder. _

_"She loved everybody so much Esme, she was so beautiful and I miss her." I cried out. She just held on to me and let me release every bit of hurt I was feeling. We stood there for what seemed like hours. _

_Esme was still shaking and her voice cracked several times as she started to speak, "I know you do Bella, I know you do. Even though you can't see her she's with you always." She pulled away just a tiny bit, enough to grab my hand and place it over my heart. "Right here, Bella, she's in here and no one can take that away." I rested my head on her shoulder and sobbed while she held me. I lifted my head when I felt someone sit down next to me and start to rub soothing patterns on my back. I looked over to see Edward sitting next to me with tears in his eyes and nodding to the left. I looked over to where he was suggesting and I saw Emmett sitting in the chair with his head down staring at my mother's picture. I'm not the only one missing a mother's touch so I looked up to Esme and gave her one last long hug and whispered, "Emmett might just need you more than I do right now." She nodded against me and I let go of her arm, so she could comfort the one man in my life who would mask his own pain in order for me to get rid of mine. _

_As soon as I let go of Esme, Edward's strong hands pulled me to his side and cocooned me against him, one arm around my shoulder and his other reached around and held my hand in his. I rested my head against his chest and watched my brother, who has been holding in so much pain, finally let go completely and weep into Esme's embrace. She sat there in front of him on her knees holding him to her like her life depended on it. It wasn't gentle and tender like mine; no this was a much more powerful hug. This hug was for a son who would never let himself fully express how much he was missing his mom. This was for a son who needed to be held, but could never ask. This was for a son who lost a best friend. She was telling him with that embrace to let go, and he did. He hugged her so tight I really thought she was losing circulation. He let out every bit of pain he was feeling into that hug and he cried. She just held onto him that much tighter. He needed this and she was there for him. _

_I looked up when I felt Edward sobbing, he was staring at me now and he had tears running down his face. He loved my mom too and I know these tears weren't from pity they were his way of mourning my mother. His hand slowly came up to the side of my face and he tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. It was so intimate the way his hand brushed against my cheek and lingered on my face for those few extra seconds. We both held each other's gazes and then he slowly lowered his face to mine and placed a soft kiss at the end of my nose. It was the sweetest thing and all I could do was smile up at him hoping to show my appreciation. _

_I saw Alice being held by Carlisle at the door; both had tears in their eyes. From the look on Alice's face I could see she was fighting with herself to come over to me, but she was giving Edward the chance to comfort me also. I held my hand out to her and she all but flew over to the other side of me and crashed in for a hug. We held each other and started crying again. I lost my mother and my father but I gained another family as well. Nothing could replace my mom and dad and they never tried, they just added more people to our two person family. _

_I felt Edward get up and noticed him walk over to where Emmett was now standing hugging Carlisle. Esme came over and sat next to me and Alice on the coach, both of them had their arms around me and I had put my hands on both of them. I looked up to see all three men stood the same way we were sitting. Everyone felt our pain and everyone was hurting with us. We stayed that way for awhile until I felt steady enough to speak. _

_"Do you think you guys could come with Emmett and me to visit mom?" I choked when I said mom._

_Esme just brushed my hair behind my ears and said, "Of course."_

_We stood up to leave and Emmett came over to Esme and handed her the single Calla Lily he had brought in with him. "Happy Mother's Day, Esme." _

_That was all he could make out before she was in his arms crying her thanks. No one ever said we interrupted them that day and it didn't feel like we were supposed to be any other place than with them. We haven't spent a Mother's Day away from Esme since._

_Back to present_

Living with my brother was sort of like a marriage in a way, I took care of all the household things and he took care of all the finances and legal stuff. Our parents both had life insurance policies, so we were pretty much financially secure which meant Emmett didn't have to work and go to school. He was planning on doing just that until the judge informed him of our parents leaving us with over $450,000 each.

We also got the house, which we lived in until the summer before my junior year. We found a house closer to Emmett's campus. Although, it meant that I would have to leave Forks and switch schools, I really didn't need much convincing on that part of it. I would miss going to school with Alice but it was just too painful for me there. Not just because of my parents, but because HE knew where I lived. This was a chance for us to have a fresh start. In addition, we needed more room before she arrived.

He's been the best brother to me and has never made me feel like we were holding him back from anything…and I love him for it. There's no one else I want to be around and there's no way I could live alone right now. Even though I was 18 and at the end of my senior year, with everything that had happened, I was still too scared to be alone. I didn't think Emmett would want us to live without him anyway. So I cooked, cleaned and shopped and Emmett did what big brothers do and protected me and her, win/win situation for all of us.

I gathered our breakfast dishes and headed to the kitchen while Emmett ran upstairs to grab more of his clothes. After throwing the pile in front of the washer he followed Edward, who was on the phone, outside. I could see them both smiling at whatever was happening over the phone, but since I couldn't hear the conversation, I would have to ask them about it later.

After the kitchen was clean I made my way over to finish up with the laundry. I noticed Em had brought an even bigger pile than what was here before, mostly shirts. _Why does he need so many shirts?_ Removing the clothes from the dryer I tossed them into the empty hamper and replaced them with the wet towels. I started another load in the washing machine. I folded all of the clean UW workout shirts and placed them on the closed lid of the washing machine. Apparently, there were a few pairs of shorts in this load too. Finished folding, I grabbed part of the stack and made my way through the kitchen. As I walked through, I realized I left the sink running, as I turned off the faucet I noticed Emmett and Edward both outside talking to someone. I couldn't see the guy's face, but apparently he's a friend because they looked really happy to see him. I started making my way through the kitchen and I could hear Emmett talking to the other guy.

"Aw man, just wait 'til Belly sees you, it's been a couple years hasn't it."

As quickly as those words left his mouth, I heard the laugh that I knew all too well. The sound froze me where I stood, causing me to drop the pile of clothes that were in my hands.

"Yea, we've all been here about two years now, I don't have my own room but I basically live with these two," Edward said.

Still frozen in place, I didn't know what to do. _Were they going to invite him in? 'NO! Please I can't see him, oh God don't let Emmett bring him in here.'_ I heard his voice, the voice I haven't heard since the end of my sophomore year.

"Yea, I guess it has been about two years since the last time I saw the three of you," he said. I avoided him for two years, I got away from him for two years, but just like he told me back then, if I ever tried to hide I couldn't hide forever.

_'Oh my god, what am I going to do? I don't want him to see me; please don't let him see me.'_ When I looked up I saw the smile on Emmett's face and I heard Emmett tell him to come inside and take a look at our house. They all turned to come inside but he seemed to have forgotten something and turned around and headed towards his car.

Emmett bounced up the few porch stairs and eagerly started yelling to me, "You'll never guess who dropped by."

Emmett opened the screen door as he finished the last of his sentence and I couldn't mask the panic that over powered my body. His smile immediately disappeared and nothing but worry was etched onto his face. He took a look at the clothes that were on the floor then looked back to my face, I ran for my room. I skipped two stairs at a time and ran faster than I ever have in my life, trying to make it to the sanctuary of my room. When I reached the inside of my room, I slammed the door and tried to blend my body into the wall next to the door frame. I had my back against it and my hands were desperately clawing at the wall on my sides. I could see it out of the corner of my eye before I actually heard the door knob turning. _'Why don't I have a lock? Please just go away, please.'_

I couldn't move... my fear had paralyzed me.

I couldn't scream…

I was frozen and terrified with a constant chill spreading through-out my body.

I could feel my face breaking out in a cold sweat and I was sure there was no blood left in my body, when Emmett opened the door.

He saw me and all I could do at that point was silently sob. I was so afraid of having to go downstairs and face him. I thought it was over, I thought I was finally going to be ok, but he's here, downstairs, in my home.

I looked over to my brother silently begging him with my eyes, he doesn't understand though, how could he?

"Bella, what's wrong?" Emmett's voice cracked at the end of the sentence. "Bella you're freaking me out."

I was too scared to talk all I could do was shake my head back and forth over and over again.

"Please Emmett, I can't see him. Please."

"Bella, see who?"

I continued to shake my head. I felt the tears falling down my face. I knew I was close to hysterics now.

"Please Emmett; don't tell him I'm here. Don't let him see me. Please Emmett I can't see… James." His name was barely a whisper when it left my lips.

I fell to floor sobbing uncontrollably, but still so quiet. I wrapped my arms around my legs that I folded up to me and just sat and begged Emmett with my eyes. We stared at each other until I heard two voices and the screen door shut. Emmett looked through the doorway and then looked at me. I felt all blood rush out of my head. My eyes were huge with fear and I began to shake my head with more intensity now. Emmett dropped down next to me and put his arms around me. He kissed my head and rocked with me; it wasn't until we heard footsteps that I gasped and he grabbed my face, "You're going to tell me later, Bella, no more hiding this from me."

He didn't say it in a way to scare me; he said it in a tone that big brothers use on their little sisters when they want them to realize they are serious.

I still couldn't move to acknowledge him; all I could hear were the footsteps getting closer up the stairs. Emmett let go of me and rushed to the door just in time to have it shut before they reached the top.

I could hear Emmett now; all three of them were right on the other side of the wall. James was just a few feet away from me, he had been right the entire time. I would never be able to get away from him. I was his and he would stop at nothing to get me. I would never be able to out run him. And he was right, because here he stood on the other side of my bedroom wall with my brother and I was sitting on the floor scared out of my mind.

I could hear them talking now and was hoping Emmett would make him leave.

"Hey, something happened with Bella, I think she ate too much this morning, she kind of just got sick in the bathroom." I could actually picture Emmett grabbing the back of his neck and looking down as he said this.

"Should I go check on her and make sure she's ok. I was looking forward to seeing her. I know it's late, but it took me awhile to find you guys after I got back into town," James said in a very sincere voice. This, of course, was all for show.

"Yea, well, she's not up for company right now, so let's just do this some other time ok."

"Well do you two want to go catch up at the bar and watch some Sports Center?" James was asking them.

_'Please don't leave me alone Emmett please, I can't be alone. I need my big brother.' _I could hear them talking and I prayed Emmett wouldn't leave me.

"Nah, why don't you two go down, I want to make sure she's going to be ok. I can catch up with you guys later."

"Alright man, tell her I hope she feels better, and tell her thanks for breakfast." Edward said.

My panic started to slowly die down knowing that Emmett was making him leave. I could hear Emmett walking back up the stairs and was not looking forward to reliving the nightmare I silently went through that year. He knocked softly before he opened the door. He quietly shut the door and plopped himself down next to me on the floor. I dropped my hands from my legs and stared into my brother's eyes.

As the weight of the situation finally hit me full force, I crashed into his body, wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and sat sideways in his lap. Holding on for dear life, I started bawling. No need to be silent and hide anymore, I poured out my true feelings from all the horror I went through and what I'm going through right now, right onto my brothers shoulder. I realized I had no other choice but to tell Emmett everything. He held me just as tightly and told me over and over, "You're safe now Belly, you're ok. It's going to be ok, I'm right here."

As much as I wanted to believe him, I was not convinced, not now that he'd found me… just like he promised he would. But it's just not me anymore; I have to worry about her now. She was my main priority, keeping her safe. My subconscious must have known this was going to happen because for some reason I didn't hesitate to let her go with Esme yesterday. They've been bugging me for months to let them take her to the Zoo and spoil her rotten for a weekend, also giving me a break. I've just never been able to part with her, until yesterday. And I was so grateful I did, she was safe with Esme and Carlisle, away from here, away from James. That thought put my mind at ease a little and I let out a big sigh.

Emmett was still holding me, waiting for me to start talking. I gave him one last pull for a hug and then adjusted myself so I could start a story that began my freshman year. Emmett gave me a minute to compose myself before he asked, "Are you ok now?"

I wiped the trails my tears left off my cheeks and nodded 'yes'. He simply nodded his head back and started to stand up, reaching his hand down to help me as well.

"Why don't we go downstairs and talk, ok?" Emmett suggested.

"Yea, I think I could use some tea and you might want a beer for this" I jokingly told him. He smiled at me and opened the door so we could head downstairs. As we got to the top of the staircase, I looked at Emmett when I heard voices and realized Edward and James were still here. I grabbed onto Emmett's hand and tried to pull us back towards my room. Before I was able to turn around, James and Edward walked into the foyer, both backs were turned toward us and I saw James touch a picture frame hanging on the wall next to the door.

"Hey Edward?" James asked.

"Yea, what's up?" Edward says while putting his hand on James' shoulder.

"Who's that with Bella?"

My heart dropped when I saw the picture he was pointing to.

"She's the girl that stole my heart 18 months ago." Edward tapped on the glass of the frame next to James' finger. "She's Bella's daughter."

After hearing this, James got a disgusted look on his face, his eyes grew big and his mouth formed into a tight line. His hand pulled back from the frame like it had been burned and dropped to his side in a fist.

I knew that picture inside and out, it was taken right after her first birthday. We had been playing outside on the play set Edward had bought for her. At some point, Emmett came out with a camera and snapped some shots of us playing. I'd wait at the bottom of the slide and Edward would help her climb the stairs and hold her while she readied herself to slide down. I'd be right there to catch her when she would finally tell Edward 'again'. He'd give a little push to help her out and every time she'd get the biggest smile on her face and her eyes lit up like it was the Fourth of July. She was so excited each time she slid down, it was the cutest thing; watching how much fun she was having. The shot Emmett took was right after she slid down and I scooped her up in my arms, twirling her and kissing her cheeks. Emmett called our names and when we looked over he snapped the picture.

She had her arms around my neck and I had her against my chest. We both have the same big, happy smile on our faces. Her big brown doe eyes have the same twinkle in them as mine, which is why Emmett calls her my mini-me. She is too; everything about her is identical to me, even down to her little blush. The only difference between us was the beautiful blond ringlets she had sprouting from her head, surrounding her face with little fly-aways.

My face is flushed from twirling us around and her chubby little cheeks have the same color blush on them from her laughing so hard.

"She's a little cutie." Edward said with a smile. Both of them sat there for a few more minutes just staring at the photo.

"18 months you said?" James whispered and leaned in to touch the picture. He studied it for just an instant and I could tell the moment it clicked in his head. Without removing his eyes from the picture he asked, "What's her name?"

"Emma," Edward said. "Emma Charlotte Swan. She named her after Emmett and Charlie."

James closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. When he opened them, he reached out to touch the frame again.

"Emma." he said with an evil gleam in his eyes and a wicked smile. Seeing that look on his face had me completely horrified and I gasped out loud, which caused them both to look my way. James' eyes immediately sought out mine, and I was again frozen in fear. I knew right then that there was absolutely no way I could hide from him, now that he knew about her. _What if he tried to take her from me?_ My stomach dropped at that thought and I started to shake. I could feel Emmett put his arm around me but it was no use, nothing could keep us safe now.

"Hello Bella," was all I heard and then everything went black.

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**A/N:Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Ok so here we go to the start of everything. IF your reading this then I hope that means I kept you interested enough to continue!**

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**BPOV**

**September 2005**

I was so glad school had resumed, and we both had practice that morning; it really was difficult trying to be in the house all the time. My parent's smell was all around and constantly reminded me that they would never be home when I walked in after school. By now, most of the kids at school had stopped looking at me with pity, and making sympathetic comments like, 'Sorry for your loss' or 'If there's anything I can do, let me know.' That made things a lot easier. I signed up for cheerleading during the summer, thanks to Alice and Rosalie, and I was grateful because it took up a lot of my time after school. Not only that but it was extremely helpful with my coordination. ... I was very clumsy once upon a time but thanks to dance lessons that I had been forced to take when I was younger, I was able to stay on my feet most of the day. And since I am no longer in those lessons, cheerleading is a great help.

Rosalie, a senior, was the varsity squad's head cheerleader. She was not dating the quarterback, Edward, as most people would stereotypically expect. Instead, she was dating the starting linebacker, Emmett. She's been extremely helpful, not just with my parents' death, but with school and cheerleading. She gave me andAlicea few tips on cheerleading and helped us during try-outs to ensure we both would make even though we were freshmen. It worked because both of us were now pom-pom shakers. I always laughed when I referred to us as that.

We began practices during the end of summer, which was the same time Emmett started football practice. It helped me take my mind off of my parents, and it gave me something to focus on. It was not as bad as I thought; I actually liked being a cheerleader. I got to spend time withAliceand got to be close to Emmett and Edward as well, which meant I was never home alone. We both had practice after school every day at the same time, so we were on the field together which helped me stay close to them. Cheerleading practice only lasted an hour, and Emmett's usually lasted two; so Alice, Rose and I end up on the bleachers watching them for the rest of the time they were there.

I heard the final bell ring, headed out of class and made my way to the girl's locker room. Most of the cheerleaders don't change into their uniforms until right before practice, since Forks is so cold and wet. However, on game days, it was required to wear our outfits all day. I sawAlicestroll in right after Rose, and they headed to the lockers next to mine.

"Oh my gosh Bella, did you see the new guy today?"Aliceasked me with a flirtatious voice.

"What new guy?" I asked innocently. I was really surprised this was the first time I had heard about him. Girls love to gossip in this school, especially if it was about a guy.

"Yea, apparently he knows Jasper from when they lived in South Carolina; he's moved here to help out his aunt."Aliceseemed to always find out everyone's background.

"No, I haven't seen anyone new in my classes," I said, but then again I wasn't looking.

"Oh you wouldn't have seen him in class since he's not a freshman. He's a senior, and he only got to school an hour ago so he could talk to the coach about tryouts," Alice said.

Rosalie lifted her head afterAlicementioned tryouts. "I don't think they'll let him on the team since the season already started. Which position is he trying out for?"

"I think Jasper said wide receiver. I know if he's any good, Coach won't pass up on someone who's fast and can catch,"Alicesaid with enthusiasm.

She really loves football, I thought. I guess you have to when you are dating the starting running back. Football was all the guys talked about – until baseball season.

Rosalie also knew her sports as well as her cars; I believe that's why she and Emmett are so great together; they loved the same things. Rosalie was not just some girly-girl posing as a tomboy; Rose was 100% real; she didn't need to put on a show to impress people. It was surprising to me that as beautiful as she was, cheerleading was the only typically 'girly' thing she's ever been into, and I think she started it so she could watch Emmett "Alright, let's go and see what this guy is made of," Rose said with the flip of her hair as she headed for the doors.

Alicegrabbed her pom-poms and hooked her arm with mine so we could start out onto the field. All the other girls were walking with us as we made our way to the front of the bleachers, which had been deemed the cheerleader's zone. It's where we always practiced since we had to stand there during game time anyway. Rose, as head cheerleader, started off by having us do our usual warm-up stretches.

Alice and I balanced ourselves against each other to do the high leg stretches. My right leg was stretched up between Alice and myself, and my ankle was resting on her shoulder next to her my position. After we steadied ourselves, we grabbed the other's ankle and bent it forward to help stretch it further. All of the girls do this stretch, however, they don't work with a partner. During the first week of tryouts, I found I neededAlice's grace to keep me upright since I tend to lose my balance easily. We've continued to make it part of our warm up. The girls laughed and teased us at first, but other than that, no one bothered us.

"So, um Bella, are you sure you haven't met the new guy yet?"Aliceasked, as she continued to stretch my leg.

"No I haven't seen him, but I'm pretty sure I will eventually. Why?"

She raised her eyes a little, shook her head slightly and started to giggle. "Oh no reason really, except the fact that he's been staring at you for about five minutes now." As she finished her sentence, she nodded her head in the guys' direction.

I whipped my head around to face the football players and saw that she and I had acquired a very small audience. Blushing profusely, I quickly let go of Alice's ankle and snapped my leg down to its normal position. As I stared at the ground in embarrassment, I heard a few hoots and hollers from the team, followed immediately by the sound of a few whacks and Emmett's booming voice yelling,

"That's my baby sister, assholes."

I chanced a glance over to the team and heard a collective "sorry" from the guys; I gave a tiny wave to tell them it was ok.

Alice, who was not affected in the slightest, was still giggling next to me and blowing kisses to Jasper.

All the guys turned back to Emmett except for one pair of eyes that seemed to be glued to mine. I felt my face grow hot under his steady gaze – _Oh my gosh he's really cute_, I thought.

He had to be over six feet, and his body was obviously built for football. I could see the outline of his biceps through the shirt he was wearing, which hugged him in all the right places. And the way his arms were crossed only added to the definition. His baggy, dark blue vintage style jeans were just tight enough to show off his nice butt and long legs. His dirty blonde hair was cropped short into a very sexy fade leaving just enough at the top to spike up, which only brought out his strong facial features. The man was beautiful. His lips were pressed together as if he was an extremely deep thinker. Even from this distance, I could tell his jaw was set and strong looking. His face was a mix between 'sexy model' and 'bad-boy.' And then it dawned on me that his gorgeous blue eyes were still staring at me. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought he was checking me out. Little shy Bella? _Yea right_, no guy ever noticed me.

Someone cleared their throat and snapped me out of my ogling trance. I turned to see both Rosalie and Alice with smirks on their faces.

"Shut up," was my only reply, as I felt my face growing an even deeper shade of red. It was all I could think to say since I had been caught checking him out.

I made my way into formation and stood in my usual spot. I glanced at the football players and saw Edward, Emmett and the coach having a semi intense conversation with the new guy. The coach yelled something at Jasper and then both he and the new guy walked off the field together. I watched them leave wondering what just happened but then focused on what Rose was trying to say.

"OK, I want to do the pyramid usingAliceon the top, and I want her to kneel and form a High V. We can only do this after the touchdown, so we have to be quick about it. While they are holding this together, the rest of us will be doing our normal victory cheer. Got it?" She slapped her pom poms together after she was done speaking.

She aligned everyone who she wanted in the pyramid, and thankfully I was not chosen for that. I hated having that much responsibility on my hands. It's one thing if I crashed and burned, but it was a completely different thing if I brought down the entire group. So while they were practicing their form, we we're practicing our victory cheer. It was fairly new, so I was glad we had the time to go over it.

"Bella, do you think you are comfortable with your round-off yet?" Rose asked me while waking over to our group.

"Yea, I've been pulling them off pretty well lately." Thanks to the help of Rose and Alice.

"Good, because I want you and Jessica to both do round-offs in front of the pyramid while the other girls are shouting the victory cheer. You'll start off to the right of this group, and Jessica you will start off to the left of that group," she said as she pointed to both of us to let us know what she wanted done.

I nodded my head and headed to my position. On Rosalie's count, we all started the cheer; the girls started to form their pyramid and Rosalie motioned for both Jessica and I to start our round-offs. We all knew that we were to do one cartwheel and two back handsprings before we did the round-off. It was easier to say round-off as opposed to listing all the specifics. Because I started on the right, that meant I was on the inside, and Jessica was on the outside. I looked to Jessica, and she let me know she was ready; we needed to stay in sync. I could feel her flip by me as I made my way into my first back handspring, which meant we timed it perfectly. I finished my flips, stood to the side of the group and formed the High V.

"Alright! That looked badass girls," Rosalie was clapping and cheering us all on. "Woo!"

I knew she was glad we pulled it off; she liked to see her visions being executed nicely.

We we're standing around congratulating each other when I suddenly felt like I was being watched. I turned and immediately locked eyes with the new guy who was now dressed in football gear and clapping his hands. I blushed again and turned my head back to the girls. I was not used to boys staring at me, and I didn't know how to react; but if I wasn't sure before, I was positive now that he was checking me out.

We repeated the routine two more times, and then started working on more flips. All the girls took turns showing Rosalie what they had and how fast they could move in the air. I guess girls who needed more practice on toe touches and high kicks stayed in the back rows and in order to move to thr front rows, they needed to show improvement, which they were eager to do that day. Only four freshmen made the team this year, Alice, Jessica, Lauren and I. The older girls were determined to not be outshone by freshman. I could honestly care less where I was in formation. It didn't matter to me; I just needed something to focus on and to keep me away from the house.

"Ladies, I think we have had a good practice today. I want you all to practice the cheer at home, and we'll do it again tomorrow. Good job guys!" Rosalie was smiling at us and clapping her pom poms together. The other girls slowly started making their way off the grass and into the locker room. Alice, Rosalie and I still had an hour before the guys were finished, so we sat on the bleachers.

"Bella, those are some great handsprings. You are really getting better," Rosalie complimented me with a smile and pat on the leg.

"Thank you but I had two really good teachers," I replied with a wink.

"Alice, good hustle to the top and really good job at holding your position; I think I have found my new flyer. You held yourself well, you moved fast, you're light; yea it works."

Alice's eyes got extremely wide. "Seriously, that is flippin' awesome Rosalie. Oh my gosh! I'm so happy!" She was bouncing up and down and screaming at this point. All I could do was laugh and congratulate her. She really was a good cheerleader.

We sat there and talked for a while until we decided to watch our boys on the field. Edward was quarterback, and his red jersey was always easy to point out. Emmett was the biggest guy on the team, so he couldn't hide in the crowd. Jasper wore the number 22, and when his helmet was off, his curly locks made it easy to spot him. I noticed a few people on the team were lined up behind Edward, and some were off to the side. No one was practicing anymore, so I thought it was time to go. But then Edward nodded his head at someone; then he took a few steps back and launched the football towards the other side of the field. I saw three people running in the same direction as the ball, but someone was running much faster than the others. He snatched the ball right out of the sky and ran to the end zone. They came back to line up again, waited for the launch and raced to catch the ball. And again the same no numbered jersey out ran them both and snagged the ball just as quick as the first time.

The next time they came back up coach had the two slower players stand aside and sent a group out to do an actual play. There were black shirts on one side and white shirts on the other; Edward, of course, was in his red. I saw Jasper and Emmett make their way out to join Edward, as well as the no numbered jersey. Similar to the last few throws, Edward hiked the ball and took a few steps back until he found his target that was already on the other side of the field. He launched the ball again, right into the waiting hands of the same guy who had been quick on the previous plays. After a few more plays, the coach called the guys in for a huddle.

Rose, Alice and I started making our way down to the field because we knew the huddle meant practice was over. As we got closer we heard some of the guys saying,

_"Congratulations!" _

_"Good catch!"_

_"Welcome to the team!" _

As we approached the team, they ended their little group chant and started walking off the field. We found our boys still standing in the field and saw them all talking to the no numbered jersey. Jasper patted him on the back. Edward and Emmett both congratulated him and then started to go over some football stuff.

Alicefound Jasper, and he wrapped his arms around her.

Rosalie made her way over to stand on one side of Emmett so he could put his arm around her, and I took my normal spot between both Edward and Emmett.

"Hey Belly, sorry about the team getting out of line earlier, it won't happen again," Emmett said in a very sincere voice, as he looked down to meet my eyes.

"I know brother – it was fine really, I just didn't think anyone was paying attention." I let out a little giggle and looked over at Alice who was laughing as well. Jasper started laughing too and kissed the side of her head.

"It was pretty rude; you don't disrespect ladies like that."

I looked up and noticed that the voice came from the guy in front of me. As his hands went to remove his helmet, I started to smile because it sounded like something Jasper, the southern gentleman would say. My smile instantly turned into a much-heated blush after his helmet was off, and I recognized those gorgeous blue eyes. _Of course it would be the new guy, I thought._

I instantly looked down at my feet and whispered, "Thank you," as I blushed again.

"James, I'd like you to meet our girls, that'sAliceover by Jasper, this is my girlfriend Rosalie, and this here is my baby sister Bella." Emmett grabbed me around the shoulders for a semi-hug while introducing me.

I looked up to see James waving at Alice and then Rosalie. He looked right in my eyes, gave me the sexiest smile and stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you, Bella." The deep husky tone he used made my knees start to shake. I could feel my blush starting again and very hesitantly I reached my hand out to his.

"Nice to meet you too, James," I said nervously, and when the heat of his hand touched mine I almost passed out. The surge of electricity hit me hard; it started at my fingertips, moved through my arm and went straight to the juncture between my thighs. It created a tingling sensation in my lower belly, and I shuddered. I had never felt anything like that before in my life. The moment I felt my center start to tingle, I looked up and met his eyes; his grip on my hand increased just a fraction.

I was embarrassed by my reaction, so I looked away and pulled my hand back. I was acting like this was the first time I had ever spoken to a guy before... I seriously needed to snap out of it.

Edward put his arm around my shoulder and started speaking to James. "Bella is a little shy, she doesn't like to talk very much." He leaned over, planted a kiss in my hair, and I began to calm down from my earlier flush.

"I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable, it really is nice to meet you," James said.

I glanced up and nodded my head to let him know I wasn't offended, I gave him a slight smile hoping he could see I was ok.

He returned it with an even bigger smile.

"James, I guess we'll be seeing you tomorrow at school right? Do you already have your classes?" Jasper asked him before taking a drink of his water.

James was wiping his face off with a towel, and paused briefly to speak. "Yea, I got my schedule before I came to the field."

"Were all going to head out for pizza then go over to Emmett's house, so I guess we'll see you tomorrow. Coach should have your jersey and pads by then too," Edward told James right before he reached down to grab all of his equipment.

We all started walking back towards the school parking Jasper were in their own little world. Edward, Emmett and Rose were talking about the game on Saturday inTacoma.

I was walking just a little behind them like I always did, but I started to feel like someone was watching me again. I got really nervous and my face started to get warm, which it always did when I got nervous. I felt someone lightly bump into the elbow that was poking out because I was holding onto the strap of my duffle bag. When I looked over, I saw James walking in step with me, his lips turned up in a tiny smirk. I smiled slightly and quickly looked back ahead of me, praying I didn't trip and make a bigger fool out of myself.

"You're really good you know," he said to me in a very low voice. "Your flips during your practice were really good."

_Oh my gosh, he WAS watching me. What do I say to that? Why would he be looking at me? I'm nothing special. Thank gosh I didn't fall on my face. I can't believe he was watching me, but when? I saw him leave the field with Jasper. How long had he been watching me?_

I looked over to see him staring at me. "Thanks," I merely whispered.

"I didn't mean to stare, but I noticed you earlier when the boys were being jackasses, and I just wanted to make sure they didn't offend you or hurt your feelings. So I just kept watching you to make sure you were alright."

"I'm alright. I'm used to most of them anyways since they've been in school with my brother for years."

"Still," he shrugged his shoulders slightly, "They didn't have to be jackasses. You know if they ever other you again, just let me know and I'll take care of it. "

"Thanks, I uh…" I looked over at him wondering what would make him care so much, but decided to not make a big deal about it. It was actually very sweet.

He very lightly bumped my elbow which made me look over at him.

"What were you going to say?" He asked.

I turned my head back and kept my eyes forward to make sure I didn't run into something and also because I didn't want to meet his eyes while I spoke. "It's just… I really didn't know anyone was watching us. I don't do things for attention. We were seriously just stretching. She helps me stay balanced so I don't fall over." I was talking quietly now, not just because I was nervous but I was also embarrassed to think of the position I was in when the guys saw me.

"I don't think anyone thinks you were being inappropriate; those guys were just dicks. And I was serious... if those guys ever make you feel uncomfortable again come and get me; I don't tolerate disrespect towards females."

I chanced a glance at him while he was talking to me, noticing his face was completely genuine.

"Thank you for that, I guess it doesn't help that I get easily embarrassed; people are always thinking they offended me. Well not so much people... just mainly guys... I don't understand how I seem to be conversating with you so long, it's hard to… I'm just not used to… " I stopped myself from further elaboration. Looking down again and shaking my head... where the hell was my verbal filter today?

James noticed my hesitation too and gently grabbed my elbow to stop me. "Hey, not used to what?"

_He was going to laugh at me – me and my big mouth._ I felt like a complete idiot; I couldn't even make eye contact, so I kept looking at my feet making patterns in the gravel of the parking lot.

"Bella, what is it? You don't have to be embarrassed with me, you can tell me anything?" His voice was very low and full of concern.

"I'm just not used to talking to boys," I admitted softly. "It's weird to be talking to you right now, I mean," I paused briefly. "They don't approach me, and I don't have any practice reacting to them. So when that thing today happened, I thought maybe they were thinking I did it on purpose to get attention, and since I don't know how to talk to them, I wasn't going to be able to defend myself, and then they'd go around making fun of me. I can't imagine rumors going around about me being a slut or something. I wouldn't be able to face people." I managed to squeak out that last part before I lowered my head, realizing the amount of word vomit I just released.

Instead of hearing him laugh, I felt a soft hand touching my chin. I quickly jerked my head up and was met by the sweetest expression I had ever seen on a man. James grabbed a piece of my hair and gently tucked it behind my ear; his fingers touched my cheek while he started to speak.

I had no idea what was happening to me, I had never met this man before today and yet, I opened up to him as if he'd been my best friend. Not only that but the way he was looking at me was starting to do funny things inside of me. it was all so very confusing.

"No one is making fun of you. Don't ever feel ashamed about not having that experience with boys. I think it's just another perfect thing to admire you for." He lightly brushed my cheek with the back of his hand and never once did his eyes leave mine. His voice was so sweet and serious at the same time.

"I think you're beautiful Bella, and the fact that you aren't like every other girl, makes you even more beautiful." He had both of his hands cupping my face, gently. His thumbs were rubbing soft, small circles on my cheeks.

I immediately felt both anxious and excited at the same time. This was the first time anyone had ever told me stuff like that or touched me in that way. I didn't know what to say to him, or what I should do. My stomach was full of butterflies, and the tingly sensation was back between my thighs. He kept looking at me, and his hands were still on my face. His skin felt so good. I felt my own face getting warm, and my body started to shake slightly, but in a good way. It made me nervous to have someone touch me and invade my personal space like James had. Even though the tingling sensation his touch caused was wonderful, I wasn't able to form a complete thought, and I pulled out of his grasp.

I looked down at my feet again and tried to talk loud enough for him to hear. "Thank you James, that was very sweet." I looked up through my lashes and gave him a very big smile. I couldn't help it. No one had ever made me feel that way, and I couldn't hide how happy it made me feel.

James let out a sigh of relief and a huge smile appeared on his face. "You're welcome. I thought I scared you off for a moment." And then he winked at me. "I have to tell you though, being shy is a very good look for you."

Wow, where was Alice when I needed her? That thought of Alice reminded me of where I was and who I was with. I looked over the parking lot to try and find everyone and see if they saw our little interaction and was very relieved to see they were oblivious to it all.

"Sorry James, but I better get over to my brother; I totally forgot they were here for a moment."

"I would really like to talk to you again, if that's alright. Do you think I could maybe call you sometime?" James asked.

_Was he asking me for my phone number? Do I give it to him? I don't even know him. Plus Emmett might not think it's such a good idea. _

"I don't know what Emmett would say if you called the house. Emmett is very protective and you're a senior and I'm a freshman and I'm… we just met… you just got here and…" I was totally rambling.

James tilted my chin up with his finger and smiled at me. "Hey it's OK that was pretty fast of me, I'm sorry. But can I talk to you tomorrow at school if I see you? Or tomorrow after practice?"

I released the breath I didn't know I was holding which came out as a very loud sigh. "Yea, I would like to talk to you again too."

"Oh I definitely will say, 'hi' if I see you. Well my bike is over there, so I better let you go. It was really nice meeting you beautiful Bella." He smiled another one of those smiles that had my knees shaking. And of course when he called me beautiful, my face turned a crimson color. I smiled back even though I was blushing.

"Bye," I squeaked. It sounded so weak compared to his voice, but this was a huge step for me.

He waved and headed to his bike, which is actually a motorcycle, not a ten-speed. Ok huge crush now. I heard him start his bike, and I made my way over to Emmett's jeep where everyone was still talking football. As James drove by us he yelled good-bye to everyone and gave me a small wave, which I returned back, unnoticed by the others.

We all loaded up and decided to head back to our place and order pizza. The conversations were pretty much the same, football and shopping. Everyone was having fun, but I seemed to be in my own little James-Bella world; I needed to go to bed. I waved goodnight to everyone and went upstairs to take my shower and get dressed for bed. I couldn't stop my mind from thinking about everything James said to me as we walked in the parking lot. I couldn't believe that there were guys that still talked like that to girls. It was so strange, yet I enjoyed every bit of it. As nervous as I was about the new territory I entered, I couldn't help but enjoy the feelings James invoked in me.

James was my very first crush, and I was terrified but excited about it at the same time. I lay in bed, my thoughts circling around James, until finally sleep caught up to me. My interaction in the parking lot with him overpowered my subconscious, and my imagination went wild. The next morning I wasn't surprised that he happened to be the star of my dreams either.

* * *

**A/N: Review please... I am dying to know what you guys are thinking so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

BPOV

After I woke up to the annoying sound of my alarm clock, my stomach was instantly full of butterflies as I remembered today would be James' first day at Forks High. A slow blush crept its way up to my face as I said his name and remembered his blue eyes.

I went to the bathroom to clean my face and brush my teeth. I made it a habit to shower at night to save myself the time in the morning. Staring at all the boring clothes in my closet, I randomly selected a long sleeved shirt and my favorite worn jeans and tossed them on the bed. I grabbed a bra and matching panties out of the dresser as well. I changed into them quickly, headed back over to the bed and started getting dressed. I stepped into my favorite pair of shoes and made quick work of my hair. It has a natural wave to it and ends up curling by itself at the bottom, so it's pretty easy to manage.

I skipped downstairs and threw two pop-tarts in the toaster. As I waited for my food, I heard Emmett moving around upstairs. I knew I'd only have to wait another five minutes. Emmett's as low maintenance as I am.

As Emmett walked down the stairs, I handed him a pop tart, and we headed to the Jeep. We pulled into the parking spot between Rosalie and Jasper's cars. We met up with everyone, and I followed behind as they headed to the main doors. We all went our separate ways knowing we'd see each other at lunch.

I stopped by my locker first and gathered the books I needed for Math. I noticed the halls were starting to get full, and I wanted to hurry before I bumped into people. I tried to stay out of the way and kept my head down to avoid people; I really am not that comfortable talking to people without Alice or Emmett around. However, I heard someone say, 'hi' and looked up, smiled slightly, and then refocused on the floor in front of me as I headed to class. Since I wasn't watching where I was going, I crashed right into someone; my books fell and my papers to scatter.

"Crap! I'm really sorry," I said, looking at the mess on the floor and not the person I was apologizing to. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Here let me help you," I heard a deep baritone voice say.

"No it's ok, I've got it," I managed to squeak out as I picked up the last of my papers. I stood up and started to head back in the direction of my class but was stopped again by someone tugging on my arm.

"Here you forgot these," he said as he handed me more of my papers.

"Thank you, sorry again for running into you," I said as I looked at his face so I could properly thank him.

_James_.

He stood there with a very gorgeous smile and looked right at me, causing me to answer back with a smile of my own.

"No problem," he said. "So what class are you heading to?"

"Math," I nervously answered and continued to walk with my head lowered.

"What teacher?"

"Thomas," I replied.

"Well, I'm heading that way too. Mind if I walk with you?" James asked with a smile on his face.

"Umm, thanks but this is my class right here," I said as I stood in the open doorway.

"Alright, I'll see you around Bella," he said before heading off in the other direction.

_I thought he said his class was over here too. _

I made my way inside and found my desk. As I was sitting waiting for Angela to show up, I overheard people whispering my name. When I looked up, I noticed a few girls looking my way. I put my head back down and became extremely interested in the piece of paper on my desk. Finally, Angela walked in and sat down next to me, helping me to feel a little more relaxed. We quietly chatted and talked about our lunch plans, which helped me forget about the whispering.

Math finished rather quickly, and I headed off to U.S. History. That class always seemed to be the longest hour ever. I've never been much of history buff. Occasionally, Jasper would come and help out for his work study; those were always fun classes. He'd make us play history games, which would get us all involved, and we'd actually enjoy our trivia hour. Today, however, was not a Jasper day, and it took forever to end. English was next, one of my favorite classes, since I love books; I have read everything on Mr. Lopez's reading list. Plus Alice was in my class, so there was never a dull moment.

She was already there and waved to me from our desks. We had a quiz today, and she wanted me to help review with her before class. It was pretty simple stuff for me, so I knew several ways to help her review things.

Mr. Lopez liked us to grade each other's papers after our quizzes, which is one aspect of his class that I don't like. It can be very offending and embarrassing for those who don't do well; classmates often tease them, which I don't feel is right. However, my partner wasAlice, so I didn't mind that we shared our scores.

"One hundred percent, Bella, surprise, surprise,"Alicesaid with a tiny giggle.

"Well you didn't do so bad either, brainiac; you got 19 out of 20," I said as I handed back her paper.

The bell rang, and we walked out to the hall. I had Biology and she had History. Both were in the same hallway, so we walked together. After class, we met up and headed to lunch. We met everyone at our table and started talking about our day and what our plans were for the weekend. I mentioned movies, and Alice mentioned dinner at a fancy restaurant "Fancy" Alice gets to play Barbie with everyone, and we pretend for the night that we're all rich and powerful. Edward and Jasper suggested bowling and karaoke, but it was Emmett's shouting that made our decision.

"Seriously, Emmett, laser tag?" Alice whined. "Those jackets are ugly, and I basically swim in them."

We all laughed at that because it was entirely true. Jasper, being the good boyfriend that he was, put his arm around her. "You look beautiful in anything Alice Brandon. Plus I need your help knocking Emmett's high score out of the water."

She smiled up at Jasper and said, "It's on Emmett Swan."

"Please! Try as you might, I'll always be undefeated," Emmett laughed out loud as he flexed his arms.

"We'll just see about that," James said casually as he sat down. "What's the challenge?"

I raised my eyes to look at him and saw he was smiling and looking at me too. I blushed and looked back down at my tray.

"Well, there is no challenge actually, that's the problem," Emmett gloated. "They just won't accept the fact that I hold the number one rank in laser tag."

"You do know I come from a long line of laser tag fanatics." James teased. "So the question is, are you up for the challenge?" He looked at Emmett while he waited for a response.

My brother let out one of his monstrous laughs and yelled, "You know it!"

And just like that, James was officially part of our little crew.

There was nothing my brother liked more than someone calling him on his shit, James just happened to walk into the right conversation. That weekend we all went to play laser tag and true to his word, James knew how to play. He managed to beat Emmett's last high score, but somehow, my brother prevailed in the end and got first with a new record. Emmett loved to brag, and poor James had to listen to it all night. That was the first of many weekends we spent hanging out with James. Everywhere we went, James was invited too.

It was good because James was extremely nice, he was also funny and sweet and very cute. He'd always find ways to help me, like opening doors or grabbing me a soda. He'd walk me to my class after lunch, just little things. I was surprised when he did that because even though we were always around each other, I never really spoke to him. I just found myself a nervous wreck whenever I was around him. I couldn't help it. I knew he just thought of me as his little sister, and nothing would ever happen between us; not only was he Emmett's friend, but he was a senior, and I was a boring freshman. He was gorgeous, and I was just a plain Jane. He had his pick of every girl in school; there was no way he'd ever look at me like that. Even so, I couldn't help that whenever his name was mentioned, my stomach was full of butterflies and my face would turn red. _Me and my stupid crush_, I thought.

I tried to avoid him most nights when we had gatherings at our house. I always went to bed early, or I'd make sure to sit away from him. But no matter how hard I tried to get over my crush, my feelings for him were only getting stronger, and that terrified me.

One night during our weekly Monday Night Football fiesta at Casa de La Swan, I finished cleaning the dinner dishes and headed back to the game. As I walked into the hallway, I could see everyone sitting in the living room around the T.V. I noticed the only place that was open for me to sit was right next to James on the floor. Just thinking about sitting that close to him made the butterflies appear and my face heat up; I couldn't control the way I reacted to him. I knew I wouldn't be able to handle sitting there next to him, so I figured I'd go outside for a little bit and try to calm down.

I sat on our porch swing and watched the stars. It was actually a very beautiful night with no clouds at all; the moon was full and lit up the sky. I was enjoying the stars and the sounds of the night until a breeze made me start to shiver. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms for warmth because I wasn't ready to go in.

_It's so peaceful out here_, I thought. _I haven't done this in so long_. I started to think back on the times that Mom and I sat outside on nights like this. Dad and Emmett would be in the garage, and Mom and I would just watch the stars and listen to the sounds. She always had a blanket for us, and I'd curl up on her side as she'd use her foot to rock the swing. She was so warm and loving; she'd stroke my hair and hum her favorite song and just hold me. I missed her… especially in that moment.

Since I was lost in thought, I didn't notice that someone had opened the door and sat down next to me until I felt a blanket being wrapped around my shoulders. I looked over and saw James sitting next to me with a tiny frown on his face. All I could do was stare at him, silently wondering what he was doing out here. He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and left his arm across the back of the swing. I was overwhelmed by the sweetness he showed by bringing me the blanket. My mom always made sure I was warm so we could enjoy the night. My mom was so beautiful and sweet; she always did things like that for me. Thoughts of my mom kept swimming in my mind, and soon I felt my eyes tearing up. It was hard not to feel sad right now; I missed her, and I knew that if she were alive she'd be there sitting with me.

"Bella, what are you thinking about?" James asked. His face was full of concern.

"My mom," was all I managed to squeak out before tears cascaded down my cheeks.

James put his arm around my shoulder and tugged me to his side. I wrapped my arms around his waist, welcoming his comfort. He held me tight and started to rub small circles on my arms with his hand.

He just let me cry on his shoulder.

"I miss her so much," I sobbed.

"Shhh," he said as he stroked my hair. It was just like what mom would do. Everything he did reminded me of what my mom used to do for me. Just that simple action brought on even more intense sobs. He held me tighter and continued to try and soothe me.

"I'm so sorry Bella," he said softly as I squeezed him tighter. I could feel him place kisses on my head, and I swear I heard him whisper, 'my Bella' but I'd never ask him about it. He was so warm and comforting, I didn't want to let go. The feel of his breath on my hair, the touch of his fingers rubbing my arms, everything about this was so beautiful. After awhile, my sobs started to die down, and my breathing began to even out.

"Are you going to be ok?" James asked.

"Yes, thank you for this, James," I said as I squeezed him once more. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess."

He pulled back away from me and turned so were facing each other on the swing. Then he took his fingers and raised my chin so I was looking at him as he said very softly, "Don't apologize for this, Bella." His fingers were still touching my skin, and his eyes were gazing deeply into mine. "You have no idea how good it felt to be able to hold you and how good I feel knowing that I was able to help you out."

His eyes were warm and full of love. I trusted him; I trusted what he said to me. I smiled up at him and closed my eyes, letting the moment sink in.

"It just hit me all of sudden when I was out here," I began to tell him. "We used to watch the night together. We always took advantage of cloudless nights in Forks. This was our favorite mother-daughter thing to do. We'd sit out here for hours, just watching the sky."

I opened my eyes so I could look at him. He listened to every word, and he was watching me with such compassion, it took my breath away. I lifted up the blanket a little so I could pull my arm out and grabbed onto his hand. I looked down as he moved his hand to enlace our fingers, and I started to speak again.

"We'd sit out here and just watch everything. We wouldn't talk, we were perfectly content to only listen," I told him as my freehand played with the blanket. "She always had a blanket out here for us. She'd wrap me up in it and let me cuddle on her side." I looked up to him and smiled. I sat there just looking into his eyes not saying anything else. I didn't even notice I started crying again until James wiped my tears with his thumb.

"I miss her so much sometimes it's physically painful to breathe, James." He stared back at me and continued to wipe my tears.

I'm not sure how long we were out there, but the game must have finished because I could hear Edward and Emmett cheering over the score. I closed my eyes and slowly started to stand up. I didn't want this moment to end with James, but I knew it was time to get back inside. Our hands were still joined, so he stood up with me and then pulled me in for a hug letting the blanket fall between us. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. My arms flew around his neck, and I held on for dear life. I didn't want to let go; it felt so good to hold him. I felt safe, loved and cared for.

"I'm here for you, Bella," he told me. He kissed my head and "my Bella," fell from his lips in a whisper I wasn't meant to hear, and I felt him breathe into my hair. How could he possibly know? All these things tonight were just like her. I pulled back to look at him.

"My mom used to say that. Whenever she'd introduce me, she'd always say, 'my Bella.'" James brought his hands up to my face and once again brushed away the tears with his thumb.

"Don't cry," he said as he stared into my eyes. His warm comforting hands were tracing circles on my cheeks. His blue eyes were so intense and soft at the same time, I was lost in them. We stood there looking into each other's eyes while I continued to cry quietly.

"Please don't cry, Bella," James said softly.

"Who's crying?" Emmett said as he approached us from the side. "Bella, what's the matter?" His eyes went to James hands on my face then to my eyes silently asking me, 'What's going on?" I backed away from James and nodded my head towards the sky, hoping Emmett would understand what I was thinking. As I reached down to grab the blanket, I was struck again with an image of my mom holding me on the swing, and I began crying again. Before I could slump to the ground, Emmett had his arms around me lifting me off the ground in a bone crushing hug.

"Shh, Belly Bear, it's going to be OK." Emmett's voice was thick with emotion.

I held him and cried some more. I could hear more footsteps coming outside, and I heard Edward ask "What's everyone doing out…?" He stopped when he took in the scene. Edward knew mom and I loved sitting out here; he was over here enough times to know this was our thing.

"She would have loved it out here tonight," Emmett choked out.

"I miss her so much, Emmett," I cried out as I held on tighter. "When is it going to stop hurting?" I whispered into his shoulder.

"I don't know if it ever will stop hurting, Bella, but I know it gets better with time," he cried into my hair.

"I didn't mean to make you upset, Em; I don't know what's wrong with me," I said to him as I started to pull back so I could wipe my face. He let me go with one final hug, and we both wiped our tears.

I glanced around the porch and let out a small laugh when I saw Rosalie and Alice wiping their eyes as well. Both of them looked at me and said, "What?" That just caused us all of us to laugh, which is exactly what I needed.

As our laughter died down, everyone shared a hug, and we walked inside. The boys started talking sports, and we all ended up in the living room again watching the highlights of the week's games. After awhile, I yawned and everyone took that as their cue, and they started getting ready to leave. I hugged the girls and told them I'd see them tomorrow. I could see James putting on his jacket and heading to the door, so I followed him out. He turned to face me as he reached for the door handle, and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Thank you for tonight, James."

"You're welcome," he said. Once again he kissed the top of my head and whispered, 'my Bella'.

The rest of the guys left as well giving me hugs on their way out. Emmett was the last to hug me and told me he loved me and to have sweet dreams. I made it to my room with barely enough strength to change into my PJ's before I crashed on my bed.

When I got to school the next day, I was a little apprehensive about what James might be thinking or how he might act towards me after my tear fest last night. But, all I found was concern in his eyes; they were so warm towards me. I also noticed that every time I chanced a glance at him, I found him looking right at me. He never looked away either; he'd just smile and continue staring at me, which of course would cause me to blush and the butterflies to work overtime; it was pathetic. One thing I never saw from him was pity, and that made me feel so relieved. That's the last thing I wanted from anybody.

Friday morning started just as every other morning in Forks High; it went by pretty quickly and without incident. As Alice and I were walking out of third period English, we stopped by our lockers so we could change our books and make our way toward our next classes.

"Are you going to eat with us today or are you and Jasper going somewhere else?" I asked her.

"No, not today, we have to stay on campus. There's only one more week until Halloween, and I have to go over things for the dance with the committee, and Jasper says he needs to talk football."

"OK. Meet me here after class, and we'll walk to the cafeteria together."

"OK. See ya in a few," she called over her shoulder with a wave.

Biology was very uneventful, thank God. I'm not one for really grotesque things, so quizzes and book assignments are my kind of days. However, Mr. Banter did mention a field trip before Thanksgiving break next month to the slough, which meant all of the freshman class will be there too, so I'll have Alice with me.

Alice and I met up and headed to the cafeteria. We got in line and grabbed our usual sandwich and coke. Just as we were making our way over to our table, we were stopped short by the sounds of a very loud squeal and a deep belly laugh I knew too well. We looked over and saw Emmett and Rosalie enter the cafeteria; he had her over his shoulder like a potato sack, and he was tickling her. She was trying as hard as she could to hit him and get away but there's no use with Emmett; that man is a beast.

Alice and I looked at each other and started laughing as we sat down. Everyone in the cafeteria was staring at the two of them because Rosalie was not a girly girl; she had a very tough exterior and sometimes came off as cold. But not to us; she's a softy and is completely smitten by my brother, so we saw this side of her all the time.

They made their way over to our table, and Emmett finally released Rosalie; even though she had a huge grin on her face, she still smacked his head.. He grabbed her by the arms and kissed her cheeks, which caused her to blush as she kissed him back. It was very cute to watch them. I was about to comment, butAlicebeat me to it.

"Geez, Em, what was that about?" Alice teased. "You would take the chance to mess up her hair?"

We all laughed when Rosalie's eyes got big and she looked atAliceas she started smoothing her hair down.

"I'm kidding Rose, you look fine."

Emmett draped his arm over the back of her chair and smiled at her and then at us and said, "Yep, Rosalie made me proud today, and I knew she was just being tough, so I had to get a smile out of her."

I was about to ask what happened when Jasper sat down next to Rosalie and voiced his congratulations. She rolled her eyes and mumbled her thanks. She saw my confusion and began to clarify the situation.

"It's no big deal really; I just happen to be the first one to finish our assignment in auto shop this morning," she said with a wave of her hand, but I saw the glow on her face; this was bigger than she wanted to let on.

"No she didn't just finish first, she stomped us all. We were given our three hours to clean it, fix it, and reassemble it; Rose had all of us beat by thirty-eight minutes and forty-two seconds," Emmett said with a very proud smile on his face.

"Way to go, mama bear." Both Alice and I slapped her high fives. Just then, Edward sat down next to me and Alice, and we filled him in on what happened.

"Nice," we heard someone say behind us and turned to look at who overheard our conversation.

Rosalie looked up and said, "Thanks."

"Hey James, come have a seat," Jasper said.

The only place open at the table was on the other side of me, so I scooted my tray over to make room for him. The guys started talking about football practice today, andAlicewas talking to Rose about our Halloween costumes. She liked us all to dress up as a group. Fashion was for those two; I just rolled with the punches and did as I was told. It was less painful that way, and if it was up to me, I'd hand out candy in my sweats and t-shirt, whichAlicewould pull her hair out over. I let out a tiny giggle just picturing Alice freaking out.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" James whispered in my ear, which caused me to jump a little. Not only was I surprised out of my daydream, but I couldn't keep the blush from creeping across my face by the closeness of his face and the warmth of his breath on my neck.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," James said backing his face away, but only by a little. "You just had the cutest laugh, and I was curious as to what you were thinking about."

I could feel how close his face was to mine and was a little nervous to turn and look at him. So I kept my head down, trying to hide behind my hair.

"It's OK; I tend to get lost in my thoughts," I told him. "I wasn't really thinking of anything important." I could see out of the corner of my eye that he hadn't moved his face away yet. For some reason I wasn't really bothered with how close he was to me.

"Does that mean you're not going to tell me what you were thinking about?" He asked in a very low voice.

As I continued to stare at my tray, I answered, "Umm, I was just imagining what Alice would do if I wore sweats and a t-shirt for Halloween. She tends to go overboard with our costumes, so it was funny picturing her reaction." I smiled again thinking about it.

"Am I bothering you, Bella?" James asked with a little worry in his voice. This question surprised me and I turned to look at him.

Concerned with how he was feeling, I forgot just how close his head was to mine and when I turned to look at him, I gasped slightly when our noses touched each other.

I froze.

Everyone else seemed to disappear, and all I could see were James' blue eyes staring deeply into mine. I could feel his breath as it softly swept across my face. My breathing started to speed up and fell heavily from my lips. I glanced down to his lips and saw his tongue snake out to moisten them, and instantly my eyes jerked up to his. His piercing blue eyes were telling me so many things, it was almost too much. I found myself drawn to his eyes, but I took the time to explore the rest of his features. His eyebrows were the same dirty blonde color as his hair, and they had the slightest arch over his eyes. He had a hooded lid which caused him to look deep in thought. His nose was perfect on his face, not a single flaw about it. I made my way down his face and landed right on his beautiful, full, pink lips. His bottom lip was slightly bigger than his top and came out to form the most mouth-watering pout. His strong jaw was touched with a few days worth of stubble which took away the boyish look. He was so beautiful and for some reason all I wanted to do was grab on to his face and crash his lips to mi…

"Bella!"

My name being called snapped me out of whatever I was in and I jumped back from James. I was instantly embarrassed by where my thoughts were going, so I hung my head trying to get my hair to shield me. A kick from under the table jerked my head up and I saw Rosalie with a look of, 'what the hell?' written all over her face. I could feel four other sets of eyes on me.

Edward had a tiny scowl; his eyes were squinted looking directly behind my 's eyes were huge and she looked as if she was going to bounce out of her chair; she was trying to contain herself. Jasper had worry written all over his face as he looked towards my brother, who I wished was not sitting across from me right now. Emmett's eyes were about to pop out of his head as he looked at me. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed into a death stare focusing on the person sitting next to me. He set his mouth in a very tight line and his hands balled into fists on top of the table. His glare became even more menacing towards James before one of his fists slammed down on the table making everyone jump.

"I need to talk to you...right now!" Emmett said through gritted teeth as he stood, knocking his chair over in the process.

I quickly looked around and noticed Edward, Jasper and James were all standing. I picked up my tray and started to leave when Rose reached over to stop me. I looked up to ask, 'what's wrong?' I saw that her eyes were just as big asAlice's, and she was shaking her head no. As I sat back down, I noticed that everyone else in the cafeteria was watching this go down, and my face flushed from embarrassment. Rosalie stood up and reached out to Emmett trying to calm him down. He yanked his hand out of her grasp, so she cupped his face instead.

"Em, baby, you need to calm down," she told him.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds before he opened them and nodded his head. As soon as she sat down and he saw James, his smile faded and he stormed out of the building, the guys followed closely.

Both girls came to sit next to me, waiting for me to speak.

"What?" I managed to say. _I seriously didn't know what the fuss was about_.

"Don't you, 'what' me, Isabella Swan," Rosalie started. "I have never seen Emmett that upset."

"I don't know what he's so mad about, James and I were just talking."

This time it was Alice who spoke up. "Are you trying to convince yourself or us?" She paused to look at me to make sure she had my full attention. "You two were in your own little world there, and I'm pretty sure your hand was getting ready to touch his face before your brother spoke up."

I put my hands over my face and groaned.

"How long were you guys watching?" I asked not really knowing how long we were staring at each other.

"Long enough for Emmett to flip out," Rosalie snorted out. "You have to remember how protective your brother is, Bella. You can't check someone out right in front of him.

"This is so embarrassing guys; do you think Emmett is going to hurt him?"

"That's why Jasper and Edward went out there,"Alicesaid as she grabbed my hand. "Bella is there something going on with you two?"

I looked at both of them and decided I'd better be honest so hopefully they can convince Emmett everything is cool.

"No, guys I swear. It's a little crush on my part. I've had a crush on him since he started here, and I've tried to get over it, but it's hard," I bit my lip and kept going. "Every time I see him, I get these butterflies, and I can't wait for him to talk to me. He's so cute and funny, and he's always doing things to be around me but in a brotherly way. That's why I'm so embarrassed. This guy thinks of me as his sister, and here I am getting excited when I'm around him."

"I hate to break it to you Bella, but his eyes are not looking at you in a brotherly way," Rosalie said. "I'm pretty sure if Emmett didn't notice when he did, James would have kissed you."

"No, seriously he just wants to be friends. It's my dumb, teenage crush that's doing it. Rose, please tell Emmett to leave him alone. I'll stop. I'll stay away from him." I was practically begging Rosalie. "It's my fault though, James was just sitting there."

"I see how he looks at you Bella, both of us do, and it's more than just you having a crush on him, trust me,"Alicesaid.

"Well, let's go find the guys," I said. We all got up, left the cafeteria and headed towards the parking lot. We found the guys standing around Emmett's Jeep. We caught the last of their conversation.

James was talking to Emmett, "Dude, she's like a sister to me."

I looked at the girls as if to say 'I told you so', they both rolled their eyes.

"Whatever James, I'm telling you right now, she's off limits to you," Emmett said. "You're my friend, and she's my kid sister."

"I know that man. I swear there is nothing going on," he tried to reason. I went up to Emmett at that point and grabbed his arm so he faced me.

"Emmett, James is telling you the truth, OK?" I pleaded with him. "There is nothing going on; there never has been."

"Whatever Bella, I know what I saw," he said and ran his hand through his hair as he glared at James. "You were about to kiss him."

"Emmett, this is so not the time or the place but look," I paused, "I am the one with the little crush on him ok? It's stupid and juvenile, but this is my fault not his." After I said those words my head dropped down, and I heard a few intakes of breath, all coming from the guys.

"Bella, you need to be honest and tell me what you guys have been doing," Emmett said in his, 'I'm not fucking around' voice.

"Emmett, dude, I told you nothing has happened," James said to him. "I think of her as my little sister, you got to know that. If I knew she had a crush on me, I would have told her that nothing was going to come of it. I didn't even know she thought of me that way until just now."

_God this is humiliating!_

I was trying my hardest to hold in my tears, but my heart was just stepped on. Hearing him say that hurt so badly, even though I knew it all along;, but having it out in the open now totally sucked.

"I'm sorry Emmett, I'm telling you the truth though," I sniffed. "I'm sorry too, James. I feel so stupid right now." I couldn't help the humiliated tears that fell down my cheeks. I took my hands and angrily wiped at my face. Emmett stepped forward and grabbed me in a hug.

"Hey, I believe you, Bella. I'm sorry I overreacted, OK? I just can't let someone take advantage of you," Emmett said. "No offense, James. I'm not saying you would take advantage of her, but you're my friend, and supposed to be looking out for her too. It's just… she's all I've got left."

"I understand bro," James said as he patted Emmett on the back. "Are we cool?" James asked with his hand in the air waiting for Emmett to shake.

He released me and shook his hand, "Yea, we're cool."

Just then the bell rang letting us know lunch was over. Everyone started to make their way to the doors. Before I made it to the front steps, I stopped and looked at Emmett.

"Umm, Em, I'm really not feeling too good. Do you think I could just go home and skip the rest of the day?" I asked him. Truth be told, I was so embarrassed, I didn't think I could handle the stares right now.

"How are you going to get home? Edward, Rosalie and I have to take a test right now. Jasper's already inside, but I can try to grab him and see if he will."

"Hey Emmett, I have an open period right now. I can take her, but all I have is my bike, unless I can use your Jeep," James offered.

_Please I can't be in a car with him, _I thought_._ My stomach was in knots, and I can felt a sweat breaking out on me.

"No. No, it's fine. I'll just stay. I don't want you to have to drive me," I told him without bringing my head up.

"Belly bear, you actually look pale, and like you're ready to blow chunks; just let him drive you." Emmett tossed the keys to James. "Just umm, don't let her puke in the Jeep, OK?" He said as he walked away.

I was left there in the grass alone with James wishing there was hole I could crawl into.

"Do you need anything out of your locker?"

"No, I'll have Alice bring me my homework and books."

"OK, let's go then," James said and headed toward the Jeep.

The ride home was very quiet and extremely uncomfortable. He didn't try to talk to me, and I just kept my head down, trying not to make eye contact. I could hear him breathing hard, and I saw his knuckles were white from the grip he had on the steering wheel. I started to really worry I just messed up our friendship. He's probably just as embarrassed by having someone like me tell all his friends I had a crush on him. God, he must hate me right now. I hoped he still wanted to talk to me once things cooled down.

We finally pulled into the driveway, and as I yanked open my door, I shouted, "Thanks for the ride, I'll see you later." I didn't wait for a reply; I just ran to the house. I reached up on top of the light to grab the spare key and unlocked the door. I barely registered it shutting before I ran up to my room. I slammed my door and threw myself on to my bed and flung my arm over my face.

"Did that seriously just happen to me today?" I shouted to my empty room.

"Yes it did, and was it true?"

"Arrrrrgggg," I screamed and jumped up out of bed. I turned just in time to see James shutting my bedroom door behind him before he started walking towards me. "You scared the crap out of me, James."

"You didn't answer my question, Bella," he said as he kept walking towards me.

I stepped back and felt the back of my legs hitting the bed, so I sat down and stared at the floor. I could feel James getting closer, and then I felt the bed shift as he sat next to me. I kept staring at the floor hoping he didn't hate me, but I was afraid to ask.

We sat there for a few minutes before I heard James let out a very loud, frustrated sigh.

"Bella!" he nearly shouted out at me.

The aggressiveness in his voice made me jump, and I looked at him. His eyes were clouded and his face was set like stone. I was actually a little frightened, so I tried to turn my head away only to have James grab my chin with a little too much pressure.

"James you're sc…" I wanted to tell him he was scaring me, but he stopped me before I could finish.

"Is it true Bella?" His voice was rough and hard, and i had no idea that he would have gotten so mad. "What you told your brother, is it true?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry. I never meant for anyone to find out. It's just a stupid crush." I could feel tears prick my eyes. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you. Please don't be mad at me."

James let go of my face and took a deep breath while closing his eyes. Finally, he looked at me, and I could tell most of his anger was gone which made me feel a little better.

"Bella, I lied to your brother," he started. "I can't do this anymore."

"Please James, it'll pass. Don't tell me I ruined our friendship. I'm so sor…"

I was cut off by James placing his hands over my lips. I stared at him and couldn't help the few tears that managed to escape my eyes.

"No Bella, I mean I lied to your brother when I told him I think of you as a sister," he said. "You have no idea what I felt when I heard you had feelings for me too."

He removed his hand from my lips and wiped away my tears.

"I can't keep lying to myself or you, it's not fair. I want to be with you Bella, so much." He took my hand in his and brought it up to his face resting my knuckles against his cheek. "Today, when your brother overreacted, it made me realize that he's not going to let you be happy with me, and I want to fucking break his jaw right now." He looked at me when he said that and his eyes glazed over as his face turned to stone once again. This side of James was scary, and there was not a doubt in my mind that he wanted to hurt my brother; I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips.

"Don't be afraid of me Bella. I'd never hurt you, or Emmett. This is just how it made me feel, knowing we're going to have to hide from them."

"What do you mean James?"

He took both my hands in his and searched my face for a few seconds before he spoke.

"Bella, do you want to be with me?"

I thought about this for a moment. Of course I want to be with him. It's more than just a crush, and he knows it too... but what about my brother? He'll flip, and how can I keep a secret? I'm a horrible liar. There's no way we'd be able to hold hands or kiss or go on dates. How would we be able to…?

"Bella! Do you want to be with me?" His grip on my hands tightened, and his eyes told me he was serious.

"Yes," was all I could say as I immediately looked down.

James cupped my face in his hands and grinned. All bits of anger I saw earlier were gone, and now the twinkle in his eye was back, I couldn't help but smile too. We stared at each other for a few moments before I saw his head slowly coming towards mine.

I felt the butterflies taking flight again and tried to calm my nerves. I could feel my body trembling and hoped James didn't notice, but he did.

"Do I make you nervous Bella?" He asked with his face inches away from mine and his breath grazing my skin. I tried to talk but I had no voice, all I could do was nod yes.

"Why? I'd never hurt you."

"It's not that," I began. "I've just never been this close to a boy before, and I don't know what to do."

He rubbed his nose against mine and smiled. He then rubbed his nose against my cheek and along my jaw line causing a tingling sensation between my legs. The butterflies in my stomach were no match for the warmth I felt flowing between my thighs. It's like James ignited a fire, and every nerve in my body was meeting right at my core. My breathing started to increase causing me to start panting. He brought his nose back along my jaw and started to trace my ear lobe with its point. Softly and in a very husky voice he asked me, "You've never kissed a boy?" All I could do was shake my head.

I felt him smile as he brought his face back in front of mine. He looked in my eyes and then to my lips. I felt his breath on my lips as his mouth almost touched mine. The anticipation was killing me.

"I'm going to kiss you Bella," he stated.

"I'm scared you're might hate it," I whispered.

"Never," was all he said before he closed the distance between us and attached his lips to mine.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: **All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Thank you guys for sticking around, I'm glad you enjoy this so far. Things are going to start getting really good!**

**Also I have to say that this is my favorite chapter. You get a glimpse of James POV further explaining things. **

**I'm a major football fan and the stats that I wrote in this chapter at 100% true! **

**The only thing is they are actually true for 2006 records and this takes place after Bella's 15th B-day in 2005. **

**So if you ignore that tiny little detail I'm sure you'll enjoy this chapter too...**

* * *

**BPOV**

His lips barely brushed mine, top to bottom, and bottom to top. He stopped, and brushed them side to side. He smiled against my lips, pressing gently and tipping his head to the side. He was moving so slowly it was maddening. I realized he was waiting for me to join him.

He was waiting for me to kiss him back.

He was making sure I was alright with it.

His hands moved to cup my face, and I let my lips fall against his. He moaned as our lips moved slowly and sensuously over each other, tasting, nipping and experimenting. Finally, I couldn't stand the suspense any longer; I kissed him - hard. He was causing me to feel things I had never experienced before, and I didn't want to stop.

After a few moments, I felt him push his tongue against my teeth. I always thought that would be gross, letting someone stick their tongue in my mouth, but, oh my God was I wrong. Immediately after I felt the tip of his tongue, my arousal intensified. I moaned and opened my mouth. His tongue glided smoothly inside and began to dance with mine. It was his turn to moan as he pulled me tighter against him with one arm as the other hand cupped my face.

His tongue explored the inside of my mouth. He thrust in and out, and over my tongue simulating the act of sex. I groaned and my tongue began a battle with his where there was no loser.

My whole body was on fire. I shifted and settled more firmly between his legs. It was then that I felt something rock hard pressing into my belly causing a feeling of warmth to pool between my legs. It jolted me back into the reality from which I'd taken a temporary leave. Kissing James had turned out to be an out-of-body experience. I'd lost all track of the room around us. There was only James and that sexy mouth working mine into a frenzy. I pulled back, and he leaned his forehead against mine as we panted gently into each other's face, smiles on both our lips.

"Wow," he murmured.

I was surprised at the giggle that bubbled out of me. His smile widened, and he pulled me into his chest, laying my head on his shoulder.

"What now?" I asked.

He chuckled a little, "Whatever you want, Bella. This is your show."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"You know how I feel. You know what I want. But it's up to you how fast this happens. I've waited a long time. I can keep waiting. I want you to be ready, and I want you to be sure."

I nodded against his shoulder. "As much as my hormones want this," I sighed deeply, "I don't think we should jump in the deep end of the pool too quickly."

I smiled against his tee shirt.

"I want this to happen, James, but I need to go slowly."

"That's fine, Bella." He kissed the top of my head again. "I can't believe we made it this far."

"Me neither," I breathed against his lips. "You know we can't tell anyone about this, right?"

The moment I said that, I felt James tense up, and his grip around my waist tightened; I could feel him breathing heavily against the side of my face. I knew I had upset him, so I wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled him to me for a hug.

"Don't be mad at me, James," I squeaked out.

I heard him release a puff of air next to my ear, and his body relaxed a little.

"I'm not mad at you, Bella," he said quietly. "I'm pissed that we're going to have to hide our relationship."

"I don't want to hide it either, but I think we just need to give Emmett some time, okay?"

"I know, it just sucks," he said as he ran his hand through his hair. "It sucks that I'm not going to be able to hold your hand or kiss you at lunch. I don't know how I'm going to keep my hands to myself."

"I feel the same way, James."

We sat there staring into each other's eyes for a few minutes before my phone buzzed, indicating I had a text. I grabbed it out of my bag and flipped it open.

"Who is it?" James asked. He didn't wait for my answer; he grabbed the phone out of my hands and read it.

"Hope you're feeling better– E," James said. "Who's E?"

It came out as a demand instead of a question. I was a little taken back by the tone in his voice. He seemed almost irritated by the text.

"E is Edward."

James released a breath, and I could visibly see his body relax as he handed me back my phone. I re-read it and sent a quick reply back letting him know that I was OK and then put my phone on the night stand. When I looked back, I saw James standing up, heading for the door. I didn't understand why he would want to leave right now.

"Why are you leaving?" There was no way to cover my disappointment.

"I just need to get your brother's car back before they all start texting you." He still wouldn't look at me.

"James," I asked trying to grab his arm. "Did I do something wrong?"

He stepped back from the door and turned so he was facing me; I was unable to mask the confusion and hurt on my face. He pulled me to him when he noticed my expression.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he breathed into my neck. "I guess, it sort of bothered me that you got a text from a guy."

"It's just Edward," I tried to comfort him. "You know you have nothing to worry about."

"I believe you, but I still can't help it; I feel jealous."

I pulled back slightly so I could cup his face in my hands and forced him to look in my eyes.

"James, I wasn't lying to you when I told you I don't speak to boys. I meant it. You have nothing to be jealous of, OK?"

He nodded his head slightly and turned to kiss the palm of my right hand.

"I know of some guys who pretend to be 'just friends,' But they're manipulators – tricksters, and you're so sweet and innocent someone could take advantage of you. I don't want that to happen." He grabbed both of my hands from his face and brought them to his lips and then softly kissed both of my palms. "I'd kill someone if they hurt you or tried to take advantage of you. Just thinking about someone talking to you makes me want to punch something."

"You don't have to worry OK?" I tried to reassure him by kissing his lips.

I wanted him to understand that he could trust me. There was no reason for him to be jealous. If I hadn't been so love-struck, I would have realized that his jealous behavior was a red flag; his mood went from loving to hostile in just a blink of an eye, but I chose to ignore it.

He pulled back and stared at me with a look I couldn't quite place; it wasn't anger or frustration; I realized it was possessiveness.

"Just stay away from guys," he said in a tone that sent a chill down my spine. That should have been another red flag, but when he grabbed my face and kissed me, I ignored the danger in his words and let the warmth of his kiss replace the chill in my spine.

He pulled away soon after and gave me a tiny peck at the end of my nose. "I really have to go. I'll see you tomorrow OK?"

"OK."

I walked him down stairs to the door and kissed him one more time before he left.

That night, I sat awake for awhile and thought about everything that transpired that day. I couldn't keep the smile off my face and my fingers off my lips whenever I thought about our kiss. It was everything I imagined it would be and more. He was so tender and affectionate, and he wanted to be with me too. I trusted James, and I trusted that it would work out; we would find a way to be together without anyone finding out. I hated keeping secrets from Emmett; but the hardest person was going to beAlicesince I'm an open book. I can't lie to save my life, so how was I going to do it to save our relationship?

A tiny bit of panic raced through me, but I immediately squashed it with thoughts of James.

_It'll all work out,_ I thought.

Hopefully, we wouldn't have to hide it for too long. I was sure after Emmett saw what a good guy James was, he'd be OK with it. I smiled to myself at that thought, which helped me fall fast asleep.

**James POV**

Finally!

I finally kissed her.

I had dreamt about how soft her lips would feel against mine for so long. It took everything I had to let her end that kiss. I wanted to throw her down and make her mine right there… but she was not ready. I would wait for as long as she needed. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was going to be mine; it was just a matter of time, and my patience had paid off. That kiss was magical, breathtaking, and amazing; it was everything I thought it was going to be and more. The moment I heard her tell me she had never been kissed before, my dick instantly hardened. The fact that she was so innocent and that I was going to be her first was such a turn on, I practically mauled her. No other guy would ever get to have her or be with her; I would kill anyone who even tried to take her away from me.

She was mine.

When I had come to visit my "aunt" over the summer, I had no intention of ever coming back to Forks. She needed help and since I was the only one on the outside and in the States, I was nominated to help her. I hopped on a plane and flew over to the small, wet, boring town of Forks to help her out. I had been at her house for a week and was getting ready for my trip back toSouth Carolinawhen I saw her.

I had to make a trip to the store to get some supplies for my truck, when I heard the most beautiful voice in the next row over. I stopped moving, and just concentrated on that voice. It was so beautiful… soft… feminine.

I walked to the end of the aisle to see who the musical voice belonged to, and I almost died from just the site of her. God, she looked like an angel. Her hair flowed down her back in thick cascading brown waves and outlined her heart-shaped face. She had pale porcelain-like skin, and the cutest pink lips. But what stopped my heart were her eyes. There was a twinkle in those big brown orbs that called to me from where I stood. They had the perfect combination of innocence and sex-kitten.

I swallowed down the growl that wanted to irrupt when I thought of her being looked at by someone else.

_Mine_.

She had to be mine. I didn't want her to catch me while I watched her, but I couldn't look away. I followed her through the store until she left, and then I followed her home as well. She looked so sweet and fragile while she walked; she looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. I studied everything about her while I followed her. She was a vision, and I had to have her. There was no way I was going to be able to leave.

I watched her every chance that I got. I often walked by her place just so I could catch a glimpse of her. I wanted to scream when I saw a guy lived with her. The night I saw them curled up on the coach together, I almost broke in and beat the shit out of him. I was getting ready to cross the street to do just that when fate intervened. A car pulled in the driveway and four people got out. I saw a blonde chic walk up and kiss the guy inside, and then everyone hugged my angel. I sat there and watched them for a while until I got a glimpse of a blonde guy.

_Jasper Whitlock._ What were the fucking odds? He knew my angel, and I was going to use him to get to her.

I left that night and went back and informed my "aunt" that I would be relocating and needed to stay with her for awhile.

I caught up with Jasper the next day and told him I'd be here for the school year. He was stoked and filled me in on everything in his life. We talked sports and school, and eventually he started talking about his friends. It was then that I learned my angel's name – Bella; it suited her perfectly. I told him I had to go back and pack my stuff up, but I'd be back in time to enroll.

Unfortunately, when I got back toSouth Carolina, my parole officer didn't like the idea of me taking off without her knowledge. Fucking bitch locked me up for the remainder of the summer for a violation because I didn't tell her I was going somewhere. She also informed me that I couldn't leave the state until the end of my probation, which was in another two years. Fuck that. I had to get back to Bella. Once I was released, I jumped parole and left in the middle of the night. I made it back to Forks just two weeks into the school year. It took me almost half the day to register because I was 18 and from out of state. I needed certain information, which I did not have. I used my charm with the secretary and everything was taken care of.

Eventually, I found Jasper, and he took me to meet the coach. As I was out on the field, I heard the voice of my angel. She was standing next to a dark haired girl in a cheerleading outfit. God, she was even more beautiful than I remembered. Her eyes were fucking gorgeous, and they sucked me in like a vortex. I couldn't take my eyes off her or her beautiful legs, and I watched as she slowly stretched one and placed it on the other girls shoulder. Oh my god, it was fucking erotic. She whipped her head around towards the whistles and lewd remarks coming from beside me. It took everything I had not to kick the shit out of the assholes who dared to look at her. If she wasn't looking back at me, I would have done just that, but I was too lost in her beauty to do anything other than stare at her.

I continued to catch glimpses of her throughout practice. Of course, I ended up on the team, but I knew it would be no problem; I was the fastest guy on the field. That day, I finally got to touch her, and I did not want to let her go. Her hand was soft and smooth and, oh my god, the warmth from that one little touch had me wrapped around her finger; she completely owned me. She could ask me for anything, and I'd find a way to get it for her.

Throughout the next few weeks, I got closer to her and her friends. I realized it was her very overprotective brother who ran the show. Everything revolved around him, so I knew I had to get in good with him to get close to Bella. It wasn't a problem really, he was a good guy. They all were pretty cool to hang out with… until the incident at lunch.

_Fucking Emmett,_ I thought. I wanted to punch his head in. It was because of him we would have to hide our relationship. I wanted everyone to know that she was mine, and they had better back the fuck off. But no, Emmett had to go all noble and protect her from me. What a dick. I would never hurt her; he was the one who always made her cry. Fuck, if he ever made her cry again in front of me, I didn't think I'd be able to control myself. I was trying to calm down before I got back to the school, but the more I thought about him keeping us apart, the angrier I became. We should not have to hide our relationship; I would take care of her and never hurt her. I would do nothing but love her. I knew it, she knew it, but now I had to get Emmett to see it. And I would; eventually he would see that I was the right one for her, and then we will be able to be together openly. It would all work out now that I had her; I wouldn't let anything screw it up. So, if that meant weeks of kissing Emmett's ass, then that was what I'd have to do because she was worth it.

I felt confident that I could keep my composure as I stepped out of the Jeep and headed back inside. I didn't realize I was gone so long, but the last bell rang as I stepped through the doors. I made my way back to Emmett's Jeep to give him his keys. Thank god he was there and I could go home, because I couldn't really focus on anything other than Bella. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world now that she was mine. No one would ever be able to taste her lips or feel her body like I would.

I could still feel how soft her lips were and how eager she was to let my tongue invade her mouth; God, I wanted to take her so badly. It was just a matter of time; when she was ready, it would happen, and I would be as gentle as she needed me to be.

As I walked out of the school and made my way for the parking lot, I saw that Emmett was waiting for me next to his Jeep.

"I made sure she got inside, and then I left. She seemed OK." _Better than OK, if I say so myself_, I thought. "She told me she was going to go lay down."

"Good," he said. "Well coach wants us up inPort Angelesby noon tomorrow so we can practice some before the game. Do you want to ride up there with us? We never ride in the bus."

"Yea, that'd be great." I tossed him his keys. "What time should I be at your house?"

"Be there around 9 or so."

"Alright. See you guys later," I told them before I headed off to my bike.

I didn't even remember the drive home or how I got into bed; all my thoughts were on Bella and the fact that she was mine. We may not be able to be seen in public together, but we would find ways for alone time. I was pretty sure that the hardest part was going to be when everyone was together as a group. Having to hide my affection for her and not being able to touch her was going to kill me. But it was what had to be done in order to keep her. The next day would be our first test since I'd have to be at her house and ride with them up to Port Angeles; but I could do it; I had to. I somehow fell asleep smiling at my thoughts filled with Bella.

**BPOV**

_Wow. I cannot believe that happened yesterday. James wants to be with me, he really wants to be with me._

That was all I thought about as the warm water shot down onto my body. Not even the heat of the shower could keep the goose bumps away when I thought about our kiss. My head was on cloud nine; my body seemed to react to every thought I had about him. The way his hands held my face, the way his tongue battled with mine, the feel of his erection pushed against me - it was incredible, and I couldn't stop the butterflies that swarmed in my lower belly. I didn't want them to stop, I was happy James and I were going to be together, even though we would have to hide it for the time being.

I sighed at that thought, turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Today was our game inPort Angeles, andAlicewas going to be at my house any minute so we could get ready while we waited for Rose to arrive. We never rode the bus with the others to the away games; the guys always drove with Emmett, and the girls rode in Rosalie's car.

I quickly dried off and put my Forks High cheer pants and matching shirt on. It was freezing outside, and the game wasn't until two, so there was no reason to put my cheer skirt on yet. I would just put it in my bag and change when we got to the game. When I finished packing, I heardAlice's voice call my name from the stairs.

"Already dressed lady," I teased her as she opened my door. "All you have to do is hair and make-up."

"Good, because as you see, I still have to do my make up too," she said, and held up the enormous 'magic' bag with her hands. Every one of her beautification tools were in that bag. She took it with her wherever she went.

I was pretty much the only girl on the squad that didn't know how to perfect the art of the 'cheer-do'. It didn't matter to me anyway;Alicethe Great loved that part, and within fifteen minutes, my hair was up in a pony-tail, and the curls were bobby-pinned and hair sprayed in place. She even tied the ribbons in for me because she loved me so much.

Next was our make-up, which I didn't need a lot of, but we all had to use the same colors on our eyes and needed to have the cat-like eyeliner applied to our top to work on my face and finished in five minutes, which left her plenty of time to apply her own. After we were both ready, we headed downstairs to wait for Rose.

The minute I heard _his_ voice downstairs, I felt my entire body was aflame. The tingling sensation in my lower belly was back ten-fold, and I felt my entire body quiver. I hadn't seen him yet, but my body reacted just from the sound of his voice, the deep sexy monotone that was James. I tried as hard as I could to calm down; I willed myself to take deep breaths. Unfortunately,Alice saw my reaction.

"Bella," she whispered. "Are you OK?"

"I wasn't expecting him to be here."

"Who?" she asked. "James?"

I couldn't lie to her, but I couldn't tell her about James either. My blush gave me away every time, especially withAlice. So, I prayed as hard as I could that if I played my shyness and embarrassment card to the fullest, she'd buy it. I only had to convince her; once she knew something, everybody knew. So I could depend on her to explain my predicament to everyone.

Without making eye contact, a number one rule when lying toAlice, I let the words fall from my lips, hoping she wouldn't question anything.

"Yea, I'm still really embarrassed about lunch yesterday." There it was, the moment of truth, so to speak. The moment where she either bought it and became the understanding, compassionate best friend I needed her to be, Or the moment where she'd call bullshit, and sink her claws in so deep I had no choice but to admit defeat.

"Don't worry about it, Bella, it'll blow over." And just like that, it was done. She bought it, no questions asked.

She gave me a sideways hug, and then skipped down the stairs. Still a little dazed by how easy that was, it took me a minute to make my way to the living room. Of course, when I got there, my body automatically sought out James; my head searched the room until our eyes locked together.

He was so gorgeous.

He smiled at me, and it made my heart melt.

"Hey, Bella," James said.

I smiled shyly at him, then waved and said, "hi," back.

"Alright, it's already after ten, and coach wants us there by noon, so we've got to book." Emmett stood up and grabbed his bag, everyone followed.

We all walked outside, separated into the two vehicles, and headed towardPort Angeles. Of course, girls being girls, we talked about boys; well actually,Alicetalked about my predicament, and Rose pretty much said the same thing, "It'll be forgotten about in a week." I just hoped James and I could really pull it off.

When we made it to Port Angeles, the sun was actually out, for which I was thankful considering the short skirts we were going to have to wear. We warmed up a little before the game, and then put our 'game faces on' asAliceliked to put it. Forks High ended up winning 35-27, and we all agreed to go out for pizza to celebrate.

Almost everyone from the football and cheerleading team were there, so the restaurant was pretty packed. We had 15 people at our table, and it seemed to grow every second. The original table was just us seven, Emmett, Rosalie, Edward and myself sat on one side, and Jasper,Aliceand James sat across. Then when we were spotted, tables were smooshed together for others to join.

One of the offensive linemen, Gavin, sat next to me, so he could talk it up with the boys. I didn't find it that difficult to be around James with everyone else there. I would steal glances at him every chance I got , only to see him look back at me every time, which sent my tummy into overdrive.

After awhile, the guys had started to get into their sports talk, and I must have shown my disinterest because Gavin nudged my arm and started a conversation with me.

"You're brother hasn't broken you into sports yet?" he teased.

"No, it's kind of repetitive really," I mused.

"What do you mean?"

I looked over at him so he could see the smile on my face as I laughed. "Seriously, you guys talk about the same things, over and over."

He smiled back and nudged my elbow with his again and asked, "Like what? I'm going to need some examples."

_Oh yea… challenge accepted,_ I thought.

"OK, so for someone who does not go out of her way to listen to sports, I'll tell you some things that you guys always talk about."

He leaned forward with a big smile on his face, "I'm listening."

I put an even bigger smile on my face and let him have it.

"OK well let's start with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Favre. Even though he holds the record for the most career interceptions thrown, 311, he also holds the record for most career touchdown passes,-473, most consecutive starts, 274, and most career victories as a starting quarterback,-173; and this year seems to be the year where he's going to break Marino's record of most passes completed, which is currently at 4,967."

I paused momentarily to enjoy the shocked look on his face, but I was not finished yet.

"Now let's bring it home to our beloved Seahawks. Shaun Alexander signed a $62 million dollar contract with us this year making him the highest paid running back of all time. Last year, he broke the franchise record for the most rushing yards in the Seahawks' history. In November last year, against the 'Niners', Alexander became the first player in NFL history to score 19 rushing or receiving TDs in only 10 games; Steve Van Buren had 18 in 1945. This eventually led him to breaking Priest Holmes record of 27 rushing TD's in a single season. He also won his first NFL rushing title with 1,880 rushing yards. Last year, he also joined Emmitt Smith, Priest Holmes, and Marshall Faulk as the only running backs to record consecutive seasons of 20 or more touchdowns, which earned him an MVP award."

I held back a laugh when I saw his mouth hanging open. Nonchalantly, I used my finger to close it and kept going.

"Let's move on to this year's draft shall we? I felt that the biggest surprise this draft was the running back from USC, Reggie Bush. Draft analysts predicted that he would be the first overall pick by the Houston Texans, but in a surprising move the night before, the Texans signed Mario Williams, a defensive end fromNorth CarolinaStateUniversity. Lucky for the Saints, who selected him as the second overall pick; look for them in the playoffs this year. After he was drafted, he signed a multi-year endorsement with Adidas, which puts him at about $5 million annually, only second in NFL history to Peyton Manning.

Umm, let me think… oh another one, is the sixth overall draft pick by the 'Niners', tight end Vernon Davis; talk about a fast player. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.38 seconds, which was faster than most wide receivers and most running backs that ran at the combine. It's the fastest time ever recorded by a tight end, surpassing Benjamin Watson's 4.42. He was a Consensus All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team selection. He was also a finalist for the Mackey Award."

He sat there, mouth agape, and stared right at me completely amazed. I figured I had enough fun at Gavin's expense, so I finished with a wink and popped a piece of pepperoni in my mouth, a big smile plastered on my face.

I was brought out of my extremely satisfying glory, when I heard the entire room applaud. I was so into my rambling that I hadn't noticed I had captured the attention of the entire pizza joint. I could feel my face heat up as everyone yelled and clapped for me; I even felt people pat me on the back. I was tremendously embarrassed by all this attention. I looked over to my table, hoping to get some help, and saw Emmett with a shit-eating grin on his face while he high-fived his teammates. So I did what I always did, and tried desperately to blend into my chair, hanging my head as low as I could.

Gavin was having none of it, I felt him shift next to me, and the next thing I knew he had me in his arms and decided to swing me around.

"Holy shit," he yelled. "That was bad ass! You completely schooled my ass, Bella." That of course brought on an entirely new round of laughter.

"Damn right she did; she is my kid sister," Emmett bellowed. "Did you seriously doubt my Jedi mind skills?"

"Shut up, Em," I said over Gavin's shoulder. "Now tell him to put me down." I teased.

Gavin stopped his movements, but tightened his hold on me, "Nope, not going to happen. Emmett bro, I don't know how to tell you this, but I think I'm in love."

As he said this he kissed my cheek. It was all fun and games; I knew he was teasing, so I wasn't bothered by it; but that didn't stop the three sets of death stares that were now directed at Gavin. Edward, Emmett and James looked like they were going to do some serious damage. I tried to intervene and break the tension, because apparently Gavin was oblivious to their looks.

"I'm flattered, Gavin really," I teased, "but I'm saving myself for Paul Walker."

Everyone had a few more laughs, and my comment seemed to have lightened the guy's moods; well all except James. He still had a little scowl on his face, so I desperately wanted to get him in a better mood.

"Hey James, want to go play darts with me?" I asked with a little enthusiasm. I had been able to contain myself so far, and it didn't look like Emmett suspected anything, so I figured it was worth a shot. I really wanted to spend some time with him.

"Yea, that sounds like fun." We both got up and made our way to the back where the games were.

He was quiet, and didn't look up much, so I walked us over to the change machine where we could have a little privacy.

"James, are you OK?" I asked. "Did I do something wrong? You won't even look at me."

He let out a big breath of air and finally raised his eyes to meet mine. "This is just harder than I thought it was going to be."

My stomach dropped. All air seemed to have left my body and I felt like I was going to faint. He was breaking it off; he didn't want to be with me anymore. _Oh crap! Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._

"Oh," was all I trusted myself to say without breaking down in front of the entire place. I couldn't look at his face anymore; if I kept staring in his eyes, I was definitely going to cry. I spun my body towards the change machine and desperately willed my hands to cooperate and feed the machine a dollar. That was a mistake; it was an obvious give away to how I was feeling since my hands shook so badly I couldn't align the dollar with the slot. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._

"Bella," James whispered and placed his hand over mine. I refused to look at him so I kept my head down.

"Come with me," he said lightly tugging my arm so I'd follow.

"Hey Emmett, Bella has a head ache, so I'm going to walk her down to the market and grab her some Tylenol," he called out to my brother.

I heard Emmett yell, "OK," before we walked outside.

As we rounded the corner, James reached down to hold my hand. I loved the feel of his strong calloused hand engulfing mine; it made my earlier insecurities disappear, and I was able to bask in the warmth of his touch. I kept my head down, letting him lead our way while I watched his beautiful fingers entwine with my own.

"So, you're not breaking up with me then?" I was embarrassed with how weak my voice sounded, but I couldn't hide the fact I was scared.

James stopped near an empty alley way and turned me to face him. The hand that was not holding mine, clutched onto the back of my neck, holding me a few inches from him.

"God, Bella… no I'm not breaking up with you." He briefly brought his lips to mine. "I didn't mean to have you think that when I said what I said." He paused for a moment, which allowed me to process that information and calm my breathing.

"I meant it was harder than I thought because I almost tore out of my chair and ripped that fucker's head off you when he picked you up." His face was hard, and his eyes glazed over as he said that.

"I didn't know he…" I tried to talk, but he put his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet.

"I know that, Bella," he calmly spoke. "But this is what I was telling you about guys and how they can take advantage of you. You thought he was playing, and he took the opportunity to…" his grip on my hand had tightened to the point where I winced in pain, causing James to stop talking. Immediately, he loosened his hold, brought my hand to his lips and kissed my palm. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breathes. I wasn't sure if he was breathing in air or if he was breathing in me, but he calmed down enough to finish talking.

"He took the opportunity to kiss you, Bella. I don't care if it was on the cheek; he put his fucking mouth on you, and it took everything I had not to jump up and beat the shit out of him for kissing my girl. That's why I said it was harder than I thought."

I brought my hand to the back of his neck trying to hold him and comfort him, while I kept eye contact.

"I'm sorry that happened. I don't even want to think of what it would be like to see some girl hold you and kiss you, so I'm really sorry that happened tonight. But I'm glad you didn't hurt him, because our cover would have been blown, buddy." I tried to tease him a little to help his mood.

"Can't have that now, can we?" He joked back and closed our distance by capturing my lips with his. He pulled away, his brow furrowed, and he looked at me with all seriousness. "You need to tell me you'll stay away from guys, Bella. It's not that I don't trust you, OK? It's that I don't trust them, and I'm not sure I'd be able to control myself next time something like that happens."

"I promise, James." And I meant it. "We can do this, we can make it work."

And we did; we took advantage of every chance we had to get away from the group. James must have walked me to the library a hundred times that first month. At school he walked me to my classes and sat by me in lunch; we even found it easy to sit together at my house with the group. James and I seemed to dominate during game night. We snuck off whenever fate allowed us, so we could be together. Most of the time we were alone, it wasn't about making out; we talked about our lives. James knew everything there was to know about me, and I learned all about him as well.

At Thanksgiving, we were all invited over to Esme's, James included, and it felt like he was a part of our family. He fit in perfectly with us. We got a few good make out sessions that day, with everyone being so busy with the game and food. The situation repeated itself at; he was invited over for the party and presents, and he stayed the night as well. That was actually a good make-out session. It was the first time James felt my breasts. It was over the shirt of course, but, holy cow. On New Year's, we even managed to kiss at Midnight. I still didn't know how he pulled that off, but he did, and if we got caught, we were just going to use the excuse that it was New Year's.

That was how things went for us for the next few months; there were hidden kisses, stolen glances, and closet make-outs; but we were still able to keep our friendship strong as well. It would have been nice to hold hands or kiss him in front of people, but we made it work, and it didn't lessen anything between us.

We had been together for almost four months when Valentine's Day came, and James first told me he loved me. He had come to my room and woke me up after Emmett had left with Rosalie. He had a box of chocolate, two Calla Lilies and a beautiful leather bound journal. He sat at the side of my bed, and waited for me to open my journal. I couldn't contain the smile that was on my face after he said those three words. It didn't even bother him that I couldn't say them back; not that I didn't love him, because I did; my body just wouldn't let those words pass my lips, and he was fine with that. He told me he'd wait forever for me, and then he laid down beside me, and we proceeded to make out. It was after that day when things started to get more intense between us physically.

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**A/N: What do you think? Let me know!**


	5. Chapter 5

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: Things are going to start heating up for Bella and James after this chapter... Lemons ahead..**

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**BPOV**

**March 2006**

Things had been incredible with James ever since he told me he loved me. I found flowers inside my locker almost every day; I received texts with random love quotes and names of songs that reminded him of me. Any opportunity he found to remind me of his love, he took. He told me he loved me all the time, especially during our alone time, which had been heating up profusely.

The first time he touched my bare skin I thought I might explode; I surprised him when I didn't pull away. I needed to feel the warmth of his hands on my body. I didn't want him to stop; I arched into his touch. His long, skilled fingers explored my upper body for hours. He had kissed every inch of me and whispered his love during his exploration. I felt like I had been worshipped. He never tried to push me further that night; he had been very content on what we were doing. The more we practiced being intimate, the more comfortable I felt being exposed to him. Every kiss – every touch we shared was heavenly, but it wasn't enough anymore. I needed to feel more.

The night before the ninth, James and I had gotten pretty hot and heavy. He had already removed my bra, and his mouth was flicking my nipple. I asked him if he would take his shirt off. We sat on our knees facing each other. He stood patiently, waiting while my hands roamed over his well defined body. His torso was solid muscle; however, his skin felt like silk. His shoulders were extremely pronounced and my fingers traced the indent leading to his chest. I heard his intake of breath, watched his chest rise and fall when my nails scratched over his nipples. I started to breathe heavily when my delicate fingers caressed the light patch of hair covering his abs. I had the urge to taste him, to lick him; I let my mouth take over for my hands. I wanted to make him feel as good as he made me feel. The noises coming from James reassured me I was doing it right.

When my tongue made contact with the lowest part of his stomach, I heard him growl as he quickly pulled me to him, his mouth immediately capturing mine. His bare chest came flush with my breasts and sent a large amount of electricity surging through my body, which forced me to cry out in pleasure. I could feel his erection as it pressed into my belly, and I couldn't help but grind my body against him; I desperately craved the friction. I couldn't get enough, though; my movements became more frantic. James reached over my jeans with one hand and cupped my sex. I felt his fingers glide over my folds, which caused me to buck my hips into his touch. The friction was perfect; he applied the right amount of pressure, and very shortly I bathed in ecstasy. White clouded behind my closed lids, a soft buzz filled my ears, heat seared across my entire body, and James silenced my moan with his mouth and swallowed all sound. I didn't have the strength to hold myself up; my body had turned to Jell-O. James sensed that and held me tight against him, while we rode out the waves together. I had never felt anything that strong. It was intense and wonderful.

I tried to return the favor to him. I wanted to show him the same pleasure he had just blessed me with. As soon as he felt my hand go for his jeans, he rolled completely on top of me and suffocated me with kisses.

"I didn't do this for anything in return," James said. "I wanted to make you feel good."

"God, James," I breathed heavily. "That was incredible, baby. Let me make you feel good, too."

His gentle fingers caressed my face as he kissed my tenderly.

"This was about you tonight. I got a great amount of pleasure just watching you. I love you so much, Bella."

We kissed for a little while longer until the urge to yawn could no longer be contained.

"Sorry," I giggled softly. "Guess I had a long night, huh?"

"I'll call you tomorrow, baby," he said as he put his shirt back on. I reached for mine and did the same before he gave me one final kiss and made his way out my window.

I took a quick shower before I climbed back into bed. I lay there for awhile and thought of how it felt to have James touch me like he had. I was extremely amazed by the amount of pleasure his touch gave me. It was just the distraction I needed. I hadn't forgotten what tomorrow was; James only helped me calm down, he gave me happier thoughts to think about. In the morning I would let my sorrow show again, cry the tears I knew would come, as Emmett and I observed the one year anniversary of our parents' death. But that night, I basked in my post-orgasmic high and relaxed into a peaceful slumber.

**March 9th 2006**

I had been awake for over an hour, loosely hugging my knees to my chest and staring out the window.

It was pretty outside.

I watched as the large glowing sphere rose slowly into the dull morning sky, cast sunbeams through the trees, and illuminated my quiet room. I stared out the window as the colors made by the rising sun changed, the colors grew more vivid with the passing time. But as beautiful as the morning was, I knew today would be horrible.

Emmett and I talked and wanted to make the day a day to remember good times with Mom and Dad. Esme and Carlisle, along with the rest of the gang, were going to meet us at the house and drive to the cemetery together. Everyone wanted to be there with us to share their memories of our parents.

I knew that the night before, I was prepared for what the day was; what I wasn't prepared for was my dream and what it would evoke from me when I woke.

I dreamt of my wedding day.

It was a small ceremony at our house; a handful of people were there to help celebrate. Mom was upstairs and helped Alice do my hair; she had put pins in my hair while Alice curled away. When it was time for me to go downstairs, Dad waited outside my bedroom door and smiled at me when I walked out. He told me I was beautiful, hooked my arm through his and walked me outside. When it came time for him to hand me off to James, Dad reached over and shook his hand before he kissed me on my cheek. My dad had given James his blessing. I remembered how happy Mom looked while she watched us dance. Her smile was never ending; she was truly elated for me and James.

Then I opened my eyes and reality came and crashed down hard. My dad would never walk me down the aisle; Mom would not be the one to help me get ready. I'd never get to experience a father/daughter dance or watch my parents welcome James into the family. As much as I wanted to focus on good memories, my mind swarmed with things that would never happen.

My eyes were focused on the window while I tried to fight through my tears. I heard Emmett call my name as he opened the door. I kept my head turned towards my window; I didn't want him to see the tears that swam in my eyes.

"Bella, are you OK?"

I shook my head no and rested my cheek against my knee; I still refused to look at him.

The bed shifted next to me from his weight and he gathered me up in his arms, rocking me gently as my tears silently fell.

I didn't want to cry today.

"I'm sorry, Emmett."

"Shh, don't be sorry, Belly Bear."

"I want them back. Please tell me it's a nightmare, Emmett, please?" I sobbed into his chest.

He placed his forehead against mine and began to stroke my cheeks. "It's the worst kind of nightmare, but I can't wake you up ... I'm sorry." I wrapped my arms around his neck, tears streaming down my face, but he held tight and waited out the storm.

Emmett sat with me for awhile as he silently stroked my hair, and then softly spoke, "We have to get up."

I rolled onto my back and pressed my palms into my eyes."I can't do this, Emmett."

He gently removed my hands from my face. "We have to. There's no way around it."

I scrunched my brow. "I'm not going to make it through today."

He sat on the edge of the bed, coaxed me up beside him, and looked me square in the eye."You will make it through today. You're the strongest person I've ever known and will ever know. I'll be right there with you, we'll be able to do this together."

I knew he was right, I wouldn't be alone today; I could get through it with him. I had to do it for him. I threw my arms around him for a final hug and squeezed as hard as I could.

"I love you, brother."

"I love you, too, Belly Bear. Now get dressed, we have people waiting for us."

I dressed in the clothes Rose helped me pick out yesterday: a long-sleeved grey shirt with pink horizontal stripes that hugged my body nicely. The pants she chose were a skinny-legged, dark blue jean. I finished it off with a pair of grey ballet flats and a simple white jacket. It was on the dressy side of casual. I fixed my hair in a loose ponytail, added a touch of lip gloss, and then made my way downstairs.

We talked for a few minutes about the weather, believe it or not, and then loaded up in the two vehicles. Emmett, myself, Alice, Esme, and Rose were in the Jeep; Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, and James were in Carlisle's SUV. I was glad to see that James was here, even though I wouldn't be able to hold or kiss him; it felt good to know he wanted to be here for me.

By the time we got to the cemetery all of us were in tears, but not from being sad; these tears were brought on by the most hilarious story Esme told us. We all exited the Jeep, gasped for air, and tried to compose ourselves when I felt someone wrap their arms around me. I turned around to see a concerned James, who I assumed thought my tears were because I had just cried, and not because I laughed so hard.

"I'm fine – sorry. Esme told us something you would never believe," I told him through deep breaths. "If you knew my parents, you would be laughing, too." I looked over at Emmett and saw him wipe at his eyes, but that only caused me to laugh again. Soon everyone that rode in the Jeep was in hysterics once more.

"I'm sorry, honey," Esme said to Carlisle. "I just couldn't resist."

"You didn't?" Carlisle said with a look of horror across his face. You could actually see the color drain from his face.

"I couldn't help it, we needed a pick-me-up," she laughed.

"Esme, I'm a doctor now. What if someone were to find out?" He looked so worried, and his eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of his head.

Alice walked over and tried desperately to conceal her giggles and hugged Carlisle. "It's OK, Dad. If they find out, just tell them you didn't inhale." Carlisle's expression caused us all to laugh pretty hard as we walked up to my parents' head stones.

"Esme, dear, I hope you told them the whole story, because if memory serves me correctly, you were more wasted than any of us."

Esme's innocent laughter stopped; her eyes grew wide from her shock. "You lie! I remember everything that night; in fact, I'm the one that got us back to the cabin, remember?"

"Au contraire, my lovely wife. The surfers visiting from Florida gave us a ride," he said with a very smug expression on his face.

"Yeah, only because Renee and I showed them our t…" That was the moment she remembered we were still listening. That was also the moment every one of us kids fell to the grass in fits of laughter.

"Carlisle Cullen… you are going to pay for that," Esme sneered playfully.

"Well, honey, if you're going to tell a story, tell it right." He winked and gave her a pat on the butt. They came to join us on the ground and waited patiently for us to calm down.

"Okay, because I love you all so much and want you to get the full facts of that night, I'm going to tell you the story." He looked at each one of us with a very serious expression and continued. "You all have to promise this never leaves the circle."

I hadn't noticed that James had sat down next to me until he spoke up. "Should I leave for this?"

Before I had a chance to tell him no, Carlisle had beat me to it. "Absolutely not," he told him. "I trust you not to repeat this; besides, you've been around our kids long enough, you're practically one of them."

"Thank you, Carlisle." James smiled at him. I grabbed his hand and tugged him back down next to me.

"I'm not sure what all my lovely wife told you, so I'll start at the beginning. Remember children, don't judge; in fact, learn from our mistakes." With that he began his story.

**_Summer 1978_**

**_Carlisle POV_**

_"Come on, babe, let's book," I yelled up to Esme. _

_Graduation was last week, and as a present, Renee's mom gave her the keys to the cabin at the lake; it was going to be the four of us. We decided to do everything as a group; we'd planned to ride up in Charlie's blue Camaro, I had supplied the camping gear, and the girls were in charge of food. Everything was loaded and ready. We had been waiting on my dynamite girlfriend to get her tail down the stairs so we could leave. _

_"Sorry, babe, I had to finish packing," Esme snapped as she rolled two suitcases down the stairs._

_"You know we're only going to be gone for a weekend, right?" Charlie asked._

_"Yes, but I have to have options. It might not be warm when we get there so I needed to make sure I had the proper clothing. What if it's warm but there are bugs everywhere? I had to pack jeans. I had to bring warm shirts, in case it's too cold to wear tank tops. I just might want to wear cords too, so I needed to make sure I brought tops that would go with them. I had to pack things to sleep and shorts and swimsuits…"_

_"Okay, okay… sorry I brought it up." Charlie held up his hands in defense. "You still could have had it done last night though, Esme, that's all I'm saying."_

_"I did have it done last night; I just had to add a few things, Charlieeeee."_

_"Calm down, Esme," Renee giggled. "You know, Carlisle? You're going to have to set all your clocks ahead in your house."_

_"Why is that?"I asked bemused. _

_"Because," Charlie quipped, wrapping his arms around Renee, "If you ever have a daughter, she'll be just as bad as Esme; you'll never be anywhere on time." We all laughed and headed out. _

_We managed to fit everything in the Camaro, loaded in, blasted the radio, and then sped off. The cabin was near Glencoe, which was about forty minutes away from Chicago. We were going to get there with plenty of time to play on the lake. Renee's dad had given her permission for us to use the canoes; we would have to pay him back if anything was lost or damaged. _

_It didn't take us long to unload the car and get situated in the cabin. Esme and I went to the guest room upstairs, while Charlie and Renee settled into her room downstairs. We made great timing; the sun was still nice and hot and we all agreed to take the canoes out. As we were downstairs, Charlie and I decided it was time to pull out the girls' surprise._

_"Hey, Renee, come here, babe," Charlie said._

_"Esme, I need to show you something." I looked over at her and smiled._

_"Just a second!" both girls hollered back to us._

_"We need some tunage!" Renee yelled._

_We decided to take the surprise to them in the living room. With their backs to us, Charlie and I cracked open our Coors. At that sound both girls turned around and made a bee line for the beers. _

_"Hey, where'd you get those?" Esme whined. _

_"I know my parents didn't leave those here," Renee added. Charlie put down the case he had in his arms, handed a beer to each girl, and then sat on the couch. _

_"Far out, this is going to be a fun weekend," Renee said as she kissed Charlie. _

_"Esme…" I playfully called to her. "I have something in my back pocket you might like."_

_"If it's a bottle of Boones Farm Strawberry Hill wine, you're going to be very happy this weekend." She approached me with a smile on her face._

_"Well I guess that makes me the luckiest man alive." I kissed her lips before I handed her the bottle._

_"Right on, babe!" Esme yelled. "Look, Renee, our favorite."_

_The girls opened their bottle, while Charlie and I drank our beers on the couch. Pretty soon "Shadow Dancing" came on which caused the girls to freak out and dance. Charlie and I sipped our beers and enjoyed the show._

_You got me looking at that heaven in your eyes  
I was chasing your direction  
I was telling you no lies  
And I was loving you_

_When the words are said ,baby , I lose my head  
And in a world of people, there's only you and I  
There ain't nothing come between us in the end  
How can I hold you when you ain't even mine  
Only you can see me through  
I leave it up to you_

Do it light, taking me through the night  
Shadow dancing, baby you do it right  
Give me more, drag me across the floor  
Shadow dancing, all this and nothing more

_We'd all had a nice buzz going, so I tried to tell Esme to slow done and save some for later, but she wasn't having it. She and Renee finished the entire bottle before they moved on to our beers. Instead of trying to fight with her, Charlie and I let them drink; we both knew we were going to be more miserable if we cut them off._

_"Hey, let's take the canoes out," Renee suggested._

_"Babe, do you think that's a good idea?" Charlie asked. "We're all drunk."_

_"Come on, don't be such a drag," she teased him._

_"Yeah, come one. Carlisle, you're not that drunk, you guys can steer the boat or whatever," Esme laughed out._

_"What do you say, Charlie?"_

_"Let's do it." _

_As I watched the girls walk out of the house, I was unable to control my laughter; it was the funniest thing I had ever witnessed. Every few steps, one of them would trip over air, then curse the "rock" that had jumped out at their feet. If they would have let go of each other, I'm sure they would have had more success walking, but they figured they would use each other to lean on. _

_Each time they tripped, they would laugh hysterically and pull the other one down with them. By the time they got into the canoe, both were covered in dirt and leaves. Charlie and I couldn't help but laugh at them; our buzz was still going strong and the girls made it impossible to stay focused. We planned on going over to help them, but instead we kicked back, drank more beer, and laughed at their expense. Eventually they managed to get in the canoe, and we took off. _

_Being drunk and rowing down the Michigan Lake was probably one the dumbest things I had ever allowed to happen. The sun was long gone –along with the beer—which left us lost in the dark with two extremely intoxicated girlfriends. Not only did we not know where we were, it was almost impossible to stop the girls as they tried to jump out and swim naked._

_"Shh…" Esme slurred out. "Hey, do you hear that?" _

_"Yeah," Renee answered. "It sounds like the Bee Gees." They both started their laughter again…I was not sure what was so funny but they apparently did._

_"Hey, I hear it, too," Charlie said. "It's coming from the shore line. Do you see the lights over there?"_

_"Awesome," I said, relieved we weren't stuck in the middle of the lake anymore. "Let's head over there, Charlie."_

_"Woooo!" both girls hollered, before they drunkenly sang along with the music._

_"Night fever, night fever._

_We know how to do it._

_Gimme that night fever, night fever._

_We know how to show it."_

_Sure enough, when we got to the shoreline, we could tell there was a party going on. About fifteen people were skinny dipping in the lake, with more people drunk in the house._

_"Hey, man," Charlie said to a guy. "Would it be cool if we crashed here for a few?"_

_"No problem." The guy stuck his hand out. "Name's Matt. This is my uncle's house; we're here from Florida." He was about our age, long blond hair, pretty muscular. I could tell right away with the sound of his accent that he was a surfer. "My brother Mark is up in the house."_

_"I'm Charlie. This is my girlfriend Renee, and this is Carlisle and his girlfriend Esme." In my opinion, Matt kept his hand a little too long on the girls during introductions. I swear he winked at Esme when she started walking off too._

_"I think you got an admirer, babe," I told her as I put my arms around her shoulder. She laughed and wrapped her arms around my waist._

_When we got to the house, a small group of girls came over and brought beer and brownies, telling us to help ourselves. Who was I to refuse, considering we had been out in that damn canoe for hours. We each grabbed some, and then made our way further into the house. Bodies were everywhere as everyone danced and drank. The girls took off to the middle of the crowd and danced along with another small group of girls. _

_Charlie and I stayed back by the kitchen looking at all the food that was on the table. Most of it was sweets and finger foods. We helped ourselves to some sandwiches and a few more brownies before the girls came running back over to us._

_Esme held a cup full of something pink and insisted that I try it. "This girl made a batch of it; it's Spanada and something else, but it's really good. Hey, give me another brownie."_

_"I'll stick to beer," I told her, and handed her the rest of my brownie._

_"These are really good," she said. "I've already had six."_

_"Let's boogie!" Renee screamed, grabbing hold of Esme's arms and dragging her back to the living room. _

_I'm not sure how long we were there; no one seemed to mind us being there. We were having a blast. The girls danced and laughed in the living room; Charlie and I talked to a few guys from Florida about cars. We were having fun as we hung out, until something strange started to happen. One minute we were fine, drinking beers and watching the girls; the next minute I was hit with a sudden case of anxiety. My heart began beating erratically, my palms were sweaty, and I felt my face start to flush. I had the sudden urge to drive myself to the hospital; I felt like I was not getting enough oxygen. _

_"Carlisle, man," Charlie whispered, and managed to pull my mind back to the party. "I feel really strange." As I looked over, I could tell something was wrong with him. His face looked extremely pale, his eyes were wide with fear, and his mouth was pressed into a tight line. He looked scared; no, he looked… high._

_"Oh my God!" I shouted._

_"What?... What?... Is he here – do you see him?" Charlie asked. His voice was full of panic and his head would snap in different directions while he looked for someone._

_"We need to get the girls and get out of here," I told him. I grabbed his arm, keeping him with me while I searched for our girls. I couldn't find them anywhere in the house; we turned around hoping to find them outside. As we walked out onto the patio, I noticed the girls right away. _

_They were packed tightly in a chair; their arms were wrapped around each other's shoulders, heads thrown back as they laughed hysterically. _

_"Hey," I told them. "We gotta go."_

_"No way," they both laughed out. "We're having a bitching time," Esme slurred._

_I could feel my heart begin to race again; I needed to get out of there. My hands shook as I pulled Esme from the chair. "We really got to go."_

_"What's the matter?" Esme asked._

_"Renee, we need to leave before 'they' get here," Charlie rushed out._

_Renee stopped laughing and grabbed Charlie's arm. "Before who gets here?" _

_"Them," he said. "They're coming and we need to leave."_

_"What are you talking about, Charlie?" Esme asked. "What is going on?"_

_"I think we're high," I told her._

_Instead of my darling girlfriend comforting me or getting just as freaked out, she and Renee clutched each other, fell to the ground and started laughing… again. _

_"This is not funny, Esme," I sneered._

_"This… is hilarious… Carlisle," she managed to get out in between cackles. "Of course we're high, did you not see what kind of brownies those were?" Renee ended with a monstrous laugh, which caused another round of giggles to pursue. _

_"What? No! I never would have…" I was completely flabbergasted. "I'm going to medical school, I can't be getting high. Why would you do that to me, Esme?"_

_"Pipe down, Dr. Cullen," she snorted. "I didn't do anything to you. I assumed with you being genius boy and all that you knew what you were doing."_

_"Esme, Renee," Charlie spoke, "Do you know where we are? We have to leave." _

_"What's the matter?" Renee asked him._

_"They're coming and we have to get out now." Charlie was completely freaked out and began to feed into my anxiety as well. I didn't know who 'they' were but 'they' scared him, so 'they' had to be bad._

_"I can go ask Matt if he'll take us back to the cabin," Esme suggested. "I don't think we can use the canoe like this." Her voice sounded sincere but her face gave her away. Nothing about the situation worried her; she was actually amused. _

_"Come on, Esme," Renee called. "I'll walk over there with you; we can both ask him." We watched the girls walk over to a group of people at the bottom of the stairs. Charlie was next to me looking over his shoulder, while I tried to concentrate on my breathing. It started to get worse. I thought I was going to have a heart attack; my heart rate was too fast. _

_"Charlie, we have to go; I need a hospital right away," I told him. "My heart is beating too fast, I keep checking my pulse."_

_"Dude, what if they see us? I'll never be able to be a cop." He started to pace back and forth. "This is bad, Carlisle; the feds are going out find out, and they'll be here any minute now."_

_"I can't breathe, Charlie. My heart is beating too fast." I knew I was about to hyperventilate. "We have to wait for the girls; they're getting Matt to drive us back." I tried my best to calm my breathing. When I spotted the girls, they were both laughing with Matt and his friends. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I saw Esme and Renee grab the bottom of their shirts and lift….._

**BPOV**

"Alright, that's enough," Esme insisted. "I think they get the picture."

Once again, all of us kids were in hysterics. I could not picture Esme flashing her boobs to anyone, especially a total stranger. It was too funny to think about.

"So, you see, kids," Carlisle put his dad voice back on. "You have to be very careful when you're out at parties; you never know what you're eating or drinking."

"I can't picture you doing it, Esme," I told her through laughs. "I just can't see you flashing someone."

"Me? Your mom was there, too," she teased. "We ended up getting that ride back to our cabin, by the way. It was three miles up the road. Your mom and I spent the remainder of the night trying to calm the boys down." Carlisle took this time to examine the zipper on his coat, while he lightly hummed. "Your dad was convinced the feds were watching us and were going to tell his dad. He curled up on the couch next to your mom, whispering over and over again that 'they' were coming. It took everything we had not to laugh at him. But then Carlisle wasn't any better. He sat on his heels rocking by the fire, two fingers on his neck, stop watch in hand, counting his pulse for hours." She joined us all and laughed.

We sat there for another few hours and shared memories about our parents. Although I missed them terribly, it was nice reminiscing over the time we were lucky to have had spent with them. Esme retold some of my mother's earlier adventures. Carlisle talked a lot about when he and Dad decided to stick together and made the move to Forks at the same time. Alice and Rosalie talked about our many "girls only" sleep overs that forced all the men to go camping or fishing. Even Jasper had some moments with my parents.

"Hey, Emmett, remember that fishing trip when your dad dropped the f-bomb?" Jasper chuckled. My head snapped up when he mentioned my dad swearing, because if you knew Charlie, you knew he did not swear – ever.

A series of 'what' and 'when' flowed through our group until Emmett and Edward started to laugh.

"Oh my God, I remember that," Edward snorted.

"You should," Emmett teased. "I thought you and Jasper were going to faint from shock and fall out of the boat."

"Us?" Jasper interrupted. "You were the one whose mouth was hanging open."

"Wait, wait. When did Dad ever use that word?" I was completely dumbfounded.

"It was about four summers ago," Emmett started. "Dad was taking all of us out fishing."

"I should have known it involved fishing." Carlisle grinned.

"You had to work that day," Edward said to Carlisle, "but Charlie wanted to take us."

"So," Jasper began, "we loaded into the boat, and Charlie took us to one of his favorite spots. He said it was the best place the bass like to hide. When I went to bait my pole, I noticed that the tip was broke somehow…"

"Yeah," Edward blurted out. "Emmett stepped on it and never fessed up."

"I knew it." Jasper glared.

"Dude, how could you rat me out?" Emmett looked at Edward with shock written on his face and laughed. Jasper continued with the story.

"Well, because it was broke so bad, there was no way I was going to be able to fish. Without asking if he had an extra one, Charlie lifted the top of the bench we had been sitting on and pulled out this yellow rod for me to use…"

"Wait," Carlisle interrupted. "The yellow one... That's his absolute favorite."

"Oh, trust me, I found out. I tell him 'thank you' and as I go to grab it, he stops me with a hand on my forearm, looks me dead in the eye and says—sorry, Esme—word for word, 'Don't fuck it up.' I was so scared to even touch it."

"Dude, I was right there with you," Edward said. "If he would have said that to me with that look on his face, I would have pissed all over myself."

"I was a little scared for you, Jasper, but there was no way I was trading you poles." Emmett let out one of his famous belly laughs.

Alice and I laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. "It makes sense now," she cried out. "That was the year you bought all those fishing poles."

"There was no way I was taking the chance of having to use his rod again." Jasper's face was completely serious. "Every time I got a bite, and I had to set the hook, I was so nervous to use any force. I could feel Charlie watching my every move, and I kept repeating his words over and over in my head. That was one of the worst fishing experiences of my life; I was actually praying not to catch a fish."

It had started to get cold out and Esme suggested we continue back at her house. We all stood, brushed ourselves off, and made our way to the cars. As they walked on, I hung back for a chance to talk to my parents. It had been such a good day filled with happy memories about them, yet I still felt my loss as I stared at the names carved in stone. My chest ached as I thought of what was taken away from us. They won't be here for graduations, weddings, holidays, grandchildren; we were all robbed that day some drunk crossed the yellow line.

They weren't supposed to die yet.

So why am I standing at their graveside now?

I sank down to my knees between both headstones and quietly sobbed while I began to speak.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad… I miss you guys. There's not a day that goes by where I don't think of you…

"Mom, I miss you like I can't describe. You are so easy to remember. Everywhere I look, I see you. I think about you all the time, Mom. Every star in the sky reminds me of you. I carry your picture with me everywhere I go. I make sure to use your recipes when I cook for me and Emmett. I'm keeping him fed good, Mom. Between me and Rosalie, he never misses a meal." I snickered in between sobs.

"You were right about her, too, Mom; she's the best person for Emmett. I know you'd be proud to have her as a daughter-in-law, so I'll take that much more pride in having her as my big sister." As the tears fell, my hand reached out and traced over her name.

_Renee Katherine Swan_

_August 22nd 1960 – March 9th, 2005_

_Loving Mother, Wife & Friend_

_It matters not how long a star shine. _

_What is remembered is the brightness of the light._

"I love you so much, Mom. I want you to know that Esme has been the best godmother ever. She's just like you, Mom… the way she talks… the food she cooks… and the songs she hums when she's gardening. I feel close to you when I'm with her, and I thank God every day Alice shares her with me. They've been great to me, Mom; you picked the best person in the world to fill your shoes." I silently cried for a few more seconds before I wiped my tears and turned towards my dad's headstone.

_Charles David Swan_

_January 11th, 1960 – March 9th, 2005_

_Devoted Husband, Father, and Chief_

_He Graced His Years _

_With Courage, Strength, and Truth._

"Dad," I choked out. "This… God, Dad, this is hard." My words came out broken and hoarse.

"I miss you… so much, Dad." It was difficult as I tried hard to fight the lump that was in my throat. "Everywhere I go in this town, I'm reminded of you. I can't even walk by Newton's store without crying. Emmett tried to get me to go fishing once… we almost made it… as soon as I stepped outside and saw your boat, I lost it, though. I really wanted to go for Emmett, but I just couldn't do it, Dad." I paused for a moment and tried to calm my breathing, to control my sobs.

"I went into your closet and stole some of your flannel shirts. They still have your smell… I miss that... I miss snuggling up next to you on the couch, when you would sneak me down to watch a scary movie without Mom knowing. The other day I saw a man with a little girl on his shoulders and it made me think of us. You would always carry me on your shoulders. Do you remember that, Dad?" The heart wrenching sobs I tried to contain broke free, taking me a few minutes before I could speak again. My hand touched the stone with his name on it while the tears flowed down my cheeks. "I miss being Daddy's little girl. I would give anything to be able to hold you again...

"Emmett had scouts come watch him this year. He'll get a scholarship for sure… UW wants him for both football and baseball. He's really good, Dad, I wish you could see him. He's so much like you." I snickered through my tears. "Emmett's been taking good care of me. He makes sure I'm safe, and that I get to school. He helped me out a lot this first year of high school. I want you to know Emmett's been the best big brother ever... You'd be so proud, Dad…" I cried out and clawed at his name. As my sobs became more intense, I felt a huge pair of arms wrap around my body, hugging me into his very large chest.

"I love you so much, Belly Bear," Emmett cried into my ear as he rocked me back and forth.

"You really are the best big brother," I told him as my voice broke. We held each other on the grass and stared at our parents' graves until both our bodies were all cried out. I turned in his arms so I could face him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for everything, Em," I whispered. He gave me one final, bone-crushing hug before he helped me stand up.

He held my hand as we both said goodbye to our parents and then turned around to head to the cars. When I lifted my head, I was slightly taken aback by the sight in front of me. I felt a little embarrassed knowing that they all witnessed my conversation with my parents; but more than that, I felt touched. I was not alone; each one of them took my pain as their own. Esme had tears that ran down her face as she held on to Carlisle, who also had tears in his eyes. Alice and Jasper held on to each other while they each wiped tears from both their eyes. James was off to the side as he tried to hide his bloodshot eyes. When my eyes found Edward and Rosalie, I started to cry again. They walked towards us and held hands as silent tears rolled down their cheeks. Rosalie let go of Edward and threw her arms around me, and we both cried harder.

"Thank you so much for that, Bella," she whispered. "I am honored that you want me as your big sister." I cried with her and let her know I meant every word. I saw Edward and Emmett hug and pat each other on the back roughly as they both tried desperately to stop the tears.

We eventually made it back to the Cullens' and finished the night without any more tears. Esme had set the living room up with sleeping bags and pillows so every one of us could stay the night. I was glad everyone was there for us. I miss my parents tremendously, but I've also gained a great second family and the best bunch of friends anyone could ask for.

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**A/N: Review, review, review... I really would like to know what you are thinking about the story. Also the fishing rod incident really happened to my husband...**


	6. Chapter 6

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: I want to say thank you to everyone who took a chance at reading my very first fanfic...**

**I really hope you are not disappointed. I am craving feedback and I wanna know what your thoughts are... **

**So please review**

**Also I want to give a HUGE thank you to 71star for the shout out.... you effin rock for that...**

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**BPOV **

The next week flew by quickly and soon school was out. Everyone looked forward to Spring Break; Rosalie's parents had given us permission to use their vacation house in Seattle. It was also going to be an opportunity for everyone – minus Alice and myself – to check out the campus and get familiar with the surroundings. Graduation was in a few months, which meant they really needed to plan for fall classes.

Edward, James, Jasper and Rosalie would all be living in the dorms, while Emmett would drive back and forth from Forks for the classes he couldn't take online. It was going to be a struggle for Emmett but he was determined to make it work. He said I couldn't live by myself – that it wouldn't be safe for me to be alone. I told him several times, I would be fine by myself; the Cullens were right there to help if I ever needed anything. I wanted him to enjoy his college experience and live with the guys in the dorm. However, Emmett disagreed, put his foot down, and the subject was dropped.

Now it was Saturday morning, the first official day of Spring Break, and we were all packed and ready to leave. Rosalie pulled up in her mom's Lexus GX 470, the only vehicle that would all us all to fit—it made more sense to ride together in one vehicle—and Emmett loaded our stuff in.

"Geez, how much did you pack, Rose?" Emmett asked.

"We're going to be gone for a week, babe."

She walked over and kissed his cheek. "I only have the red luggage… Alice packed the blue."

As she spoke, we all took the time to look at how many blue bags were in the SUV. I counted three in the trunk and one up top. I started to laugh when I noticed Alice had turned towards the other window and pretended to be oblivious to what she had just said.

"I fit everything for a week in my duffle bag," Emmett sighed. "I don't get you women."

"Hey," I interjected, "leave me out of this, I only have one suitcase."

"Well, Bella," Rosalie grinned, "when you get a boyfriend, I predict that your perception on fashion will change." She winked.

"Whatever, Rosalie," I told her with a laugh.

"Mark my words, Emmett," Rosalie snickered. "When she finds that special someone, she'll start to care more about what she wears." As she said this, my eyes sought out James. He stood on the other side of the car and mouthed 'I love you.' I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face; I didn't want the others to catch on, so I forced myself to look away.

After Emmett finished with our bags, it was time to load up. Rosalie and Emmett sat in the front, Jasper and Alice sat in the next row, which left me to be sandwiched between Edward and James in the back row. I was glad I would get to be this close to him for the entire drive.

I felt his hand start to creep up the side of my leg, but then he'd pull it back. I could tell he was having the same trouble that I was by not being able to touch each other. I wanted to touch him so badly, but I knew we had to be careful.

I leaned over to his ear and tried hard to whisper, hoping nobody would hear me. "I'm going to hold your hand, okay?"

He turned his face towards me; his eyes widened at my admission. I kept my eyes locked with his and I spoke again. "I know how to do this, but you can't get mad." I tried to reassure him that it was going to be alright with a small smile.

"What are you going to do, Bella?" James' voice was edged with apprehension.

"Trust me, please?" I pleaded. "Don't get mad, but this is the only way that I can touch you. Will you let me do it?" I waited and continued to watch his eyes. I wanted to do it, but I knew it was going to upset him for a moment; it was the only way for me to pull it off though. With extreme hesitation, I saw him nod his head; his eyes watched and waited for me to make my move.

I slowly turned my head away from him and moved to face Edward. He was looking out the window and laughed at what Emmett had just said. I reached down to Edward's lap and took his hand in mine. I smiled up at him as he looked over at me, and then laced our fingers together. As soon as my fingers had touched Edward's hand, I felt James stiffen next to me. I knew he was mad.

_NO_, he was _pissed_.

His jaw was clenched tight and his eyes were blue orbs of fire burning holes into my skull. His breathing came out harsh and his nostrils were flared; he looked livid. I knew he would be upset at me doing it, but it was the only way I could hold his hand without being obvious about it.

"Trust me," I whispered and reached for his hand that was clenched into a fist. My fingers massaged small circles around his knuckles while I tried to get him to open his fingers. I kept my eyes locked with his; I wanted him to trust me. I felt him unclench his fist and I enlaced our fingers, then smiled. The minute our hands were tangled together, I felt his body relax; I saw his jaw had loosened and his eyes had softened.

"This was the only way," I whispered. James kept his eyes on me, and his head nodded slightly.

I felt my left hand being squeezed and looked over to Edward who had a look on his face I couldn't quite decipher. He looked annoyed, confused, and something else was mixed in there as well… but I couldn't place it. I smiled up at him, squeezed his hand back, and leaned my head against the back of the seat.

I could hear Emmett and Rosalie arguing about a pit stop.

"You don't need any food Emmett – I want to make it up there in good timing."

"Come on, babe, I need to keep my strength up," he whined.

"Your strength is just fine, you big baby," she teased back. "Fine, let's take a vote. Who wants to stop?"

When Emmett realized no one had raised their hands, he started to guilt trip the guys.

"Come on, we are supposed to stick together. Bros before h…"

"If you value your life, Emmett Nathan Swan… you WILL NOT finish that sentence." Rosalie's voice silenced the entire car. I swear even the engine shut up; it was completely silent. It wasn't so much what she said, but how she said it. Most girls when they're angry, their voices get loud and full of venom. Rosalie, however, was not like most girls; she was pretty much loud every other day. No, when she was angry like she was then, her voice was calm, steady, yet extremely cold; the way every word was drenched with ice would send a chill down your spine.

The car remained dead silent, until she looked over at my brother and smiled. "Looks like you were overruled." She smacked him in the back of his head and laughed. "You big oaf." Emmett caught her hand as she pulled away and began to lay kisses up and down her arm, until he got her to laugh.

"Stop, I'm going to wreck," she snickered. "How 'bout some music?"

"Yea, it's way too quiet back here," Alice said. Rosalie switched on the radio, and wouldn't you know, of all the songs and all the lines that could possibly ring through the speaker system…

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret_

I glanced over at James and we both started to laugh quietly, before all us girls sang along. How true this song was for us…

_Who has to know?_

_When we live such fragile lives,_

_It's the best way we survive,_

_I go around a time or two,_

_Just to waste my time with you,_

_Tell me all that you've thrown away_

_Find out games you don't wanna play_

_You are the only one that needs to know---_

_I'll keep you my dirty little secret, (Dirty little secret)_

_Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret,_

_(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)_

_My dirty little secret._

As I sang along with the girls, I couldn't help but laugh. Here I sat in the back seat, holding on to two guys in order for me to keep my secret relationship hidden but still allow myself to touch him. I could tell he was smiling as well at the irony of the song, our dirty little secret.

I felt James' eyes on me when Hoobastank's "The Reason" next filled the car.

_I'm not a perfect person_

_There's many things I wish I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

_And so I have to say before I go_

_That I just want you to know_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

He leaned in and whispered the last line in my ear, which caused a chill to run through my body. He continued to sing the entire song while he squeezed my hand. I looked around to make sure nobody had witnessed what we were doing and was relieved to see everyone was in their own world. As I continued to listen to James, I became aware of Edward's thumb as it rubbed small circles on my knuckles. It was completely innocent, but I couldn't help but think there was something different about his touch. I didn't want James to notice Edward's touch, so I kept my eyes locked with James' as I sang the last verse.

_I've found a reason to show_

_A side of me you didn't know_

_A reason for all that I do_

_And the reason is you_

When the song was finished and the next one started, I rested my head on his shoulder. I was extremely moved by what had just happened between us. The words to the song, the look in his eyes as he sang them to me, I knew he meant every word. His eyes told me how much love he had for me, and I was completely moved.

I had fallen asleep and the next thing I knew, someone was shaking my shoulders telling me to wake up.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head," James said as he reached over and placed a strand of my hair behind my ear. "We're here."

As I sat up and stretched, I noticed we were stopped in front of a gate while Rosalie punched in a code to open it. The house was huge. Their driveway was twice as long as the Cullens'; on both sides was a well manicured lawn, trimmed with hundreds of rose bushes. At the end of the driveway, I could see a circular parking area with a very large water fountain in the center. Along the entire property was immaculate landscaping.

We parked and began our tour of this house. There were rooms within rooms. A billiards room, a chef style kitchen, a dining hall, two living rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub… it just went on forever.

Rosalie showed us all which rooms we were in. Alice and Jasper shared a room on the second floor, James and Edward had their own rooms at the opposite end of the hall from Alice and Jasper. Rosalie and Emmett shared a room on the third floor across the hall from my own. It only took me a few minutes to get settled into my room; I knew the others weren't finished yet, so I decided to go and explore the house more.

There were only more bedrooms on the second and third floors, so I made my way down to the main floor. In a house this big, I knew there had to be one; I just needed to find it. And of course it didn't take me long to find the room, and when I saw it, I was not disappointed.

Rows and rows, shelves upon shelves – books were stacked up everywhere. The room was larger than any other library I had ever seen. The smell of the old leather and musky pages filled my lungs as I took deep breaths, and basked in the fragrance I loved so much.

There was a fireplace along the only wall that held no books, but it was aligned with several large paintings. The only windows in that room were on a wall that had just partial shelving. The five windows started at the ceiling and connected to a padded bench that had been built into the window sill. Pillows and a throw blanket were placed along the ends, inviting someone to take advantage. And that I did. I practically flew across the room and jumped onto the bench, curled up on the end, and grabbed the few books that were in my reach.

"Moby Dick, The Woman in White, As I Lay Dying… ah ha…" I smiled to myself. "Pride and Prejudice." I placed the other books back where they had been. I grabbed the throw and covered myself with the blanket, curled into the edge of the bench, and opened the book. The smell the pages released into the room was intoxicating. The smell of all the people throughout the years that had touched the pages, and months of the dust that had collected on them, created that musty aroma that immediately put me at ease.

Things had just started to heat up between Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth when I felt someone tug on my blanket. I looked over to see Edward's beautiful smile as he looked down at me.

"How did I know I would find you here?" Edward teased.

"I didn't know you were looking for me." I smirked.

"When you didn't come to join us in the main room and you weren't in your bedroom, I figured you would be here." He folded the blanket and then tossed it on the bench as I stood up and stretched.

"I was so cozy here," I yawned. "I don't even want to walk down the hall, let alone go to dinner." I looked over at Edward and grinned.

"Well," he began, "I can help with that." As he said this, he came and stood in front of me, slouched over slightly. "Hop on, spider monkey."

I couldn't help but laugh with him as I jumped on his back. He and Emmett used to take turns carrying me around like this when we were little.

"Are you ready?" he asked me playfully. I giggled and told him yes. Knowing what was coming next, I tightened the hold I had around his chest and pressed my face further into his neck. I continued to laugh the entire time he spun me around the library; then he took off at full speed and ran to join the others, our laughter echoing through the house.

"Of course Edward would find her…" Emmett faked annoyance.

"What can I say," Edward smugly stated. "Great minds think alike, huh, spider monkey?" I started to laugh again as he bounced me up and down.

"Let me guess," Alice stated with an eye roll. "This house has a library."

"Yes, yes it does," I smiled, "a very cozy one at that."

"Great, now that we found the little bookworm, let's eat," Emmett snorted out, right before his head came in contact with Rosalie's hand.

"When she receives full scholarships and graduates with highest honors, you'll be grateful for her love of books." I really loved Rosalie and how easily she could put my brother in his place.

Dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was pleasant. The entire time we were there, the room was filled with our laughter. We were having a lot of fun just being around each other. The staff didn't seem to mind us being there and having fun, so they didn't try to rush us out. Eventually they had to close for the night, so we took our fun back to the house.

The backyard was equipped with an enormous deck which had an outside fire pit surrounded with deck furniture. Everyone got cozy in their chairs and we continued to tell our jokes and laugh throughout the night.

I assumed I had fallen asleep; one minute I was laughing as Emmett managed to burn another marshmallow, the next minute I was being lowered into my bed and the covers being pulled over me.

"Night, Bella," his soft voice whispered before he kissed my cheek. "I love you."

Too tired to kiss him back, I simply smiled at him and bid him goodnight.

Sunday we took advantage of the luxuries of the house. There was an enormous entertainment room with the biggest stereo system I had ever seen. I swear Emmett stood and looked at it for fifteen minutes before actually turning it on.

We danced and listened to music the majority of the day before Jasper suggested watching a movie; he had found the theater room and insisted we try it out. We stayed in the theater room eating pizza and watching movies until everyone was ready to call it a night. We all said goodbye to each other and retired to our rooms.

I wanted to take a shower and was glad I had my own bathroom; I really didn't want to keep anybody awake. I could have stayed in that shower forever; the water and the spray felt so good, I almost fell asleep. I stepped out and wrapped myself in one the softest towels I had ever felt. I reached for another towel and began drying off my hair.

I opened the door to the bedroom and went over to my suitcase to find something to wear. As I was leaning over still drying my hair, I felt someone press their body into my back and wrap their arms around me. I was not expecting that at all and my mouth opened to let out a scream, only to be stopped by a hand over my lips.

"Shh…" his musical voice said. "You don't want anyone to wake up."

"You scared the crap out of me, James," I said as I turned in his arms, looking up to see his face. The moment I saw those baby blues and that smirk I loved so much, all my irritation died, and I leaned in to kiss him. Instead of meeting his lips, I met his cheek.

Softly, almost reverently, his lips traced a path from my cheeks to my chin to my nose to my forehead. As he kissed me, he walked us backwards until we were lying on the bed. I shivered, chill bumps formed on my skin, my arms lifted to encircle his neck, and my fingers twined in his hair. The dam inside him broke and he no longer had the strength to refuse what I wanted so badly. He sought my lips, engaging in a hot, open-mouthed kiss.

James groaned softly into my mouth and pulled me on top of him. Eyes closed, he kissed me frantically as his hands traveled slowly down my back and came to rest on my backside. Gently, he rocked me against his growing erection; I gasped at the sensation of his hardness as it rubbed against my most sensitive place.

"Shh," James warned again.

He watched my face, coveting every nuance of expression that crossed it. I wanted to moan, I wanted to voice how good this felt, but I couldn't; so I started to bite my lip as he continued to rhythmically grind himself into me. It was too soon to have sex, and he knew it. But James was determined to prove just how much he wanted me.

We were both acutely aware of the sleeping presence of my brother in the next room. The possibility that he might wake up made this encounter even more exciting.

James rolled us over and gently deposited my body onto the bed beside him. He went immediately for my nipples, sucking first one and then the other. I squirmed against him, sighing softly. Timidly, I brushed his erection with my thigh. James pressed against me and raised his mouth to mine once more. In the space of several deep, long kisses, I sensed what he had in mind and began to slightly tremble as he eased his way down my body; my expression reflected anticipation as well as a bit of embarrassment.

James sensed my hesitation and paused. "Bella, do you trust me?"

"Yes." I licked my lips and held his gaze.

"I'm not going to do anything you don't want, OK? If I hurt you or make you uncomfortable, all you have to do is tell me and I'll stop."

"I trust you, James." I spoke in a whisper, but left no doubt to the truth to my words.

He started to rub his hands up and down my thighs. "You're going to have to be really quiet, baby." And then gradually he disappeared underneath the covers, vanishing from sight. I could feel him as he parted my legs more so he could settle in between them. His hands hooked themselves around my thighs, and I tensed as his tongue delved into my moist core.

I had never imagined that I could receive such an intense pleasure from this action. I was hard pressed to keep quiet as James explored me thoroughly with his lips and tongue. He was tireless, continuing his ministrations until I thrusted against him, opened my legs wider, and wordlessly begged him to finish what he'd started. Heeding my silent pleas, James began to circle my clit in an increasing rhythm, holding me more tightly against his mouth.

My thighs tightened around James' ears, and I pulled the pillow over my mouth, needing to bite into the cloth as James sucked harder, faster, and my consciousness narrowed to encompass only the aching flesh between my legs. It was like the pounding of the ocean; it seemed to last forever, and I muffled my gasps in the pillow as I shuddered, the tension in my body miraculously eased.

My body had just started to come down from the high James had just given me, when I felt the bed shift from the weight of James lying down next to me. His fingers began to trace along my face as he placed feather light touches over my features. I turned my head as I opened my eyes, while still trying to calm my breathing.

He stared at me with such adoration in his eyes, it was almost too much. There wasn't a doubt in my mind how much he loved me; I saw it in his eyes.

"I fucking love you, Bella." He paused and closed his eyes, rubbing his thumb on my lips. "So much."

As he opened his eyes, I was met with his piercing blue orbs; I saw his love for me, but I also saw something else and gasped at the intense gaze I was greeted with. One minute he was giving me the most intense orgasm I had ever experienced, the next minute he looked as if he was ready to kill. I had no idea what could possibly have put him in such a mood. The look in his eyes frightened me; it was possessive… scary.

"What's wrong, James?" I asked, my voice a little shaky.

"Don't be afraid of me, Bella. I would never hurt you." I wanted to look away; I didn't want him to see that I was a little scared, but his eyes called to me, not allowing a way out. "I don't mean to scare you, baby, I just… love you so much and I can't lose you." He placed a kiss on my forehead and pulled back again to stare into my eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere, James." I tried to soothe him.

My hand rested on his cheek and I kissed him softly on the lips. He always thought he was going to lose me; I hated that someone had hurt him so badly and caused him to be that insecure. I wanted to take it all away for him. I needed to make him realize I would always be here for him. I searched his eyes, hoping he could see what I was unable to say.

After a few moments, his eyes began to glaze over, like he was on the verge of tears. "You can't ever leave me, Bella." His voice was broken and quiet. It tore me apart to hear the desperation in his voice.

"I won't ever leave you, James."

I saw his eyes change a second before his hand wrapped around the hair at the back of my neck, squeezing tightly. Before I could whimper from the pain, and there was pain, his mouth crashed down to mine harshly. His lips were aggressive, his tongue was forceful, and he kissed me with everything he had. Both his hands were wrapped in my hair now, pushing my face into his, holding me to him, like he was afraid I'd disappear. I needed to make him see I wanted to be with him forever, and I kissed him back just as passionately. Our tongues fought for dominance. My hands sought out his hair, forcing him to me even more. I wanted to blend our bodies together; I never wanted him to doubt me again. Our limbs were a tangled mess after that, teeth biting, tongues licking, hands clawing; we were everywhere at once. We danced around each other on that bed for what felt like hours. I could feel his need for me and I hoped he could feel my need for him.

After awhile, our bodies started to calm down and the kisses turned more tender and slow, still full of passion, but we were gentler. He was the first to break our kisses, and he pulled me to his body and enveloped me in his arms.

"We belong together," he said.

"I know," I spoke into his chest, kissing him softly. We held each other for a few minutes before he kissed me goodbye and left for his own room. I found sleep within seconds.

The rest of the week passed by quickly; we played games and watched movies, but mostly we talked and joked around. Before I knew it, Friday was here, the last day to check out the dorms. Everyone was up, dressed and loaded in the vehicle by ten. The drive to the campus took less than ten minutes, which left us with more than enough time to check the campus out.

It took us a little while to find our way just driving through the campus... it was huge.

"Holy shit, guys." Emmett and his colorful language; you had to laugh though, seeing the huge grin across his face.

We found our way over to the Odegaard Undergraduate Library, which had the visitors' center. When I walked in there, I thought for sure they'd have to drag me out kicking and screaming. I could spend all day in there. There wasn't just one library, there were two.

While the guys went off to help Jasper find the history department in here, I acted like a kid in a candy store. I was sure I looked the part as well. There was everything you could think of in there. After about an hour or so, they found me and we headed out of the building. Jasper left with an arm full of information and a huge smile on his face, with an even happier Alice tucked under him.

The closest building after that was the Mechanical Engineering building, which Rose was majoring in. it took us forever to get her out of that building after she had all her information. She had to touch every tool and gadget she was allowed to.

James and Emmett were still undecided, so we got basic information for them and then made our way down to the medical center and Health Science buildings for Edward. He was so excited about the program UW offered for medicine. The buildings looked like an entire college alone. Everything you could think of for medicine was in there. By the time we actually got out of there, it was after three.

We had one more place to stop before we could leave, so we all settled on something light from one of the coffee shops on campus to hold us over before we got back to the house and could eat an early dinner. After we grabbed a quick bite and chatted for a few, we made our way over to the stadium.

If you ever want a guy to increase his speed while walking, make sure it has something to do with sports. I swear all of them practically took off in a sprint when the football stadium came into view. I knew all four guys planned on playing football in the fall; I only hoped that we wouldn't have to look at the baseball field as well. The stadium was huge. We stopped at the Conibear Shellhouse so they could talk to the few coaches that were there and get more information and stuff. Even though I was not into sports, I still enjoyed being there with my boys. Seeing their faces light up and talking a mile a minute was satisfaction for me.

We had been walking around the fields and athletic buildings for so long, our female feet couldn't take it anymore. Rose had the brilliant idea of having the guys carry us around if they weren't ready to leave yet, which they agreed to do. They couldn't care less, really; we weighed next to nothing. So when Rose and Alice hopped on Jasper and Emmett's back, it was only natural Edward would let me get on his. I felt really bad for James; I knew he didn't like the idea of another guy touching me, but seriously, it was just Edward. The same Edward who I'd grown up with and who was like a brother to me.

The others were ahead of us looking at the various plaques and trophies on the wall, while we just lingered behind them. They had been carrying us for a little over half an hour when Emmett spotted the glass cases.

I started to slide a little as Edward was touching little things on the wall, and when I went to adjust myself back up, I felt his hands grab onto the spot below my ass and lift me up a little. Any other time, I would not have thought twice about his action; but the noise coming from behind us and the look on James' face told me he was hurt, but it also looked like he was seconds away from punching something. I could tell he was getting more and more disturbed the longer I was on Edward's back, so I tried to do some damage control.

"Edward," I whispered in his ear.

"Yea, Bella?"

"Can you let me down so I can go to the bathroom?" I looked at James while I said this, hoping he would get the hint. Apparently he did because he told Edward he'd walk with me. I watched as Edward met up with the others, and then I turned around to head to the bathrooms, James in tow. The very second we turned the corner down the empty hallway, I was shoved rather hard against the wall, looking in the eyes of a very pissed off James.

He had his face inches from mine, and I felt just how hard he was breathing. His nostrils flared and his eyes held such intensity; he started to really scare me. He kept looking at me without saying anything. His breathing was starting to get heavier, and his hands that were grabbing my arms and holding me against the wall were starting to increase pressure.

I felt my heart rate speed up; I felt a surge of heat travel throughout my body and started to become extremely panicky. The look on his face was so animalistic I didn't know what to do or how to calm him down, but I knew I was scared. His grip tightened once again around my arms, causing me to wince, and a small whimper fell from my lips. Before I could tell him he was hurting me, his hands were fisting in my hair and his mouth crashed down to mine.

I didn't want this. The kiss had nothing to do with love. It was not gentle or heartfelt; it was savage and possessive. He felt out of control and it scared me. I didn't want to be kissed that way. I needed him to stop, but he was holding my head against his with too much strength for me to pull back. I tried to use my hands and push him away, but it was useless; he didn't even budge. I still hadn't kissed him back and I hoped that would snap him out of this trance he seemed to be in, but it didn't. He released one of his hands from my hair and lowered his arms to the small of my back, forcing my body further into his.

I didn't want to kiss him back at first—the fear that was coursing through my body made me want to get the hell out of there—but as soon as I felt his erection push into my stomach and his tongue seeking entrance to my mouth, my unwillingness crumbled and my body gave in. The anxiety was gone, immediately replaced by my arousal. All previous thoughts and worries vanished, and only this moment existed. Whatever had caused him to use such force with me at first didn't matter. I knew he loved me, I could tell from his body that he wanted me; he would never hurt me.

I kissed him back as hard as I could. Something was changing with him and I was only scared now of losing him. I couldn't lose him. So what if he got jealous and possessive? He loved me.

I moaned into his mouth and ground my body against his, trying to fuse us together. The little friction we created was not enough. I wanted more of him. I loved the way he tasted and felt. I started to grab everything at once. His shirt was fisted in my right hand, his hair being pulled with my left. My left leg wrapped around his right, but it wasn't enough. My teeth were biting at his lips as my fingers began to dig into his scalp. I wanted him… badly.

"More," I exhaled against his mouth in between biting and licking his lips. I felt him grunt and shift against me. His hands that were roaming my body dropped to the bottom of my ass, where I felt him squeeze with both hands and lift me up. Immediately I wrapped my legs around his hips and moaned my approval. This new position created a much better friction. Both my hands went into his hair, tugging and scratching, as my tongue continued its assault on his. The minute I felt James grind and rotate his hips against my center, my head flew back against the wall.

_Fuck, that felt incredible._

His teeth were at my throat instantly, nipping and licking me. I started to feel my head grow warm and tingly. Blood rushed to my cheeks and my muscles started to tighten all over. My eyes closed on their own accord, helping me to concentrate on feeling this amazing rush James was giving me.

I thrust my hips forward against James', wanting to create the needed friction to make me orgasm. As I arched my back, the small tingle from my head began to grow and travel down my spine. I felt my legs tighten around him as my toes began to curl and this warm sensation started to build at my core. His hand traveled slowly against my breasts, adding to the pleasure; then he twisted his fingers in my hair roughly. The pain forced me to open my eyes.

His baby blues were glazed over with his lust, lips attacking mine as his hand pulled against my hair. I felt like my body was a coiled spring. Each of James' thrusts compressed it tighter and tighter. My body felt on fire, and as I began to feel that coil beginning to spring free, James' whispered voice fluttered through the air, his eyes never leaving mine.

"_I'll kill him if he ever touches you again_."

Words that should have scared me away from him only caused the spring that was compressed so tightly in my stomach to uncoil. Waves and waves of contractions flowed through my body, milking pleasure from every nerve inside of me. I bit my lip to remain quiet, as I felt James' last hard thrust before he moaned my name and relaxed against me.

Our breathing was ragged while we stayed leaning against the wall until his legs grew tired, causing us to slump against each other on the floor, my legs loosely wrapped around his body. As my body started to get back the ability to function, somewhere in the back of my mind a little red flag waved at me, wanting to digest what it was that James had said to me.

Before I had a chance to think more about it, I felt feather light kisses against my neck and jaw line. I twisted my head around, wanting to make contact with his lips. We sat there kissing each other, never breaking eye contact, ignorant of everything else around us. James brought his hands to my face, thumbs rubbing small circles on the apples of my cheeks, kissing me deeply before he pulled me off the floor.

"I love you, Bella," he said as he brushed some hair behind my ear. I smiled up at him before I wrapped my arms around his waist, squeezing him against me.

"I need to go to the bathroom and, um, clean myself up," I muttered to him shyly.

"Yea, I should probably do that too," he said with a wink. He walked me to the bathroom with his hand on my back, then kissed me so we could go do our business.

When I was finished cleaning myself up and made my way through the bathroom doors, James was there leaning against the wall, smiling down at me.

"Do you want another piggy back ride, little girl?" he asked seductively.

"You're a perverted old man, you know that?" I teased.

"No, I didn't offer you candy, did I?" This caused us both to laugh. I gave him a quick kiss on the lips, hopped on his back, and we walked back to join the group.

I could hear laughter before I actually saw our group and knew there were other people talking with them. As we rounded the corner, I saw Gavin, Tyler, Eric, Mike and two others who I didn't know joking around with Emmett and Edward. As we got closer, I heard them making plans for tonight.

"Well, instead of driving back right now, why don't you guys stay at my parents' house with us tonight? We can all drive back together Saturday morning," Rosalie suggested to them.

"Yea," Emmett said. "There's plenty of room there. We can have a little shindig."I saw all the guys nodding their heads.

"Sounds good to us… hey, James, hey, Bella," Gavin said with a small wave.

"Hey," we both said in unison. James slowly let me slide off his back as he began to shake hands with everyone.

"Bella, you know everyone, right?" Emmett asked.

"I've seen these two at school before but…" turning my attention on them, "I don't remember your names… sorry." I blushed and looked away when I realized all the guys were staring at me.

"I'm Scotty," the taller one said and stuck his hand out to me. I felt like I knew him; he reminded me of someone and I narrowed my eyes trying to remember if we had met before. As if reading my thoughts, he added with a laugh, "I'm Mike's brother."

"Hi… Bella," I said while shaking his hand, "Emmett's sister."

"Yea, I've known who you were for awhile now. I'm actually dating Angela's cousin Stacey."

"Oh… that's where I've seen your face before." He chuckled and we let go of each other's hands.

"Hey, Bella, I'm Ryan," the other guy said, smiling down at me.

"Hi," I said and shook his hand.

If I was being honest, I would have admitted that Ryan was extremely hot. He wasn't James, but he was definitely blessed with good looks. He looked like a younger version of Colin Farrell; dark hair, dark eyes, and a small patch of hair covered his chin, bringing out his gorgeous smile. So, of course, when he raised my hand to his face and placed a kiss on my knuckles, I blushed profusely and looked away.

"Okay, Casanova, don't get any ideas," Emmett jokingly told him as he tucked me under his arms and started laughing. "Why couldn't you be ugly, Bella?" Everyone started laughing.

"Leave her alone, Em," Rosalie said as she tugged on his arm, dragging him with her.

I continued walking behind them until I felt someone tug my arm, causing me to stop. I already knew it was going to be James; I was aware he saw the whole PDA between me and Ryan and was going to be upset about it. It didn't surprise me at all when I saw the scowl on his face or the fierce look in his eyes.

"What the fuck was that, Bella?" he demanded as he squeezed my arm.

Here we go again. I knew he was pissed, but he didn't have to keep hurting me to get his point across. I was actually getting tired of it. I didn't deserve him treating me this way and it suddenly annoyed the hell out of me.

Snatching my arm out of his grasp, I looked around to make sure nobody was watching us; then I turned back to him.

"James," I started, "I'm sorry that he did that, I really am. But that is no reason for you to grab me like that."

"Bella, he practically raped you with his eyes," James sneered.

"I'm with you, not them. You need to keep that in mind when some guy looks at me. But I think you need to stop grabbing me like that every time someone else does something to piss you off. I don't deserve you being mean to me and I don't appreciate it."

I didn't want to piss him off further, but it was getting old being grabbed like that all the time.

Before he could respond, Emmett yelled, "What's the holdup, you two?"

The group had stopped walking a little ways ahead, waiting for us to join them. We both turned and walked over to them.

"I'm sorry, Bella," James whispered before we reached them.

"I know, I am too."And just like that the fight was over and the tension between us gone.

"Alright, let's head back to the house. Where are you guys parked?" Rose asked Gavin.

Coincidentally and very conveniently, we were parked in the same lot. It took us about an hour to get back to the house because of the traffic, and we were all getting grumpy from being hungry. We agreed to order pizza, which made it easy on all of us and didn't take too long to get here. Everyone was standing around munching on our dinner when Rose walked in and held two bottles of Patron in the air.

"Who wants Tequila?"

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh... you know what they say about Tequila...**

**Hope I'm doing a good job keeping you guys interested.**

**Review, Review, Review....please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**BPOV**

I didn't hear anyone object, but I wondered if Emmett was going to freak out if I drank too. I didn't have to ponder that thought very long because soon Emmett placed a shot glass in front of me and handed me a lime.

"Seriously, Em?" I smiled as I looked around and saw that Rosalie and Alice had lined everyone else with shot glasses and limes.

"Yea, I mean, I'm right here with you, it's not like anything can really happen to you." He laughed and rustled my hair.

"Have you ever had Tequila before, Bella?" James asked.

I looked down at the clear liquid in front of me and shook my head.

"Okay, well, this is going to be interesting," he chuckled lightly. "Lick a small patch of skin by your thumb like this," he illustrated. "Then shake a little salt on it… yea, just like that." He smiled. "Now grab your lime. Then lick it, slam it, suck it… If you do it in this order, it won't taste that bad."

I nodded my head in understanding and held my shot glass up to his. Before I could lick my salt, Emmett stood on a chair and started to talk.

"Okay everyone, shut up for a second," Emmett bellowed. "This is my baby sister's first experience with Tequila, and we are going to do it properly. Everyone get your salt and lime ready."

I was nervous about taking the shot. I was worried I might spit it up or choke and make a fool out of myself in front of everyone, thanks to my brother for giving me an audience. I watched quietly as everyone prepared themselves the same way as I had done and then held their glasses out towards me.

"To my sis's first shot." Emmett smiled like he was just handed a million bucks and took his shot the same way James had instructed me to.

_Here goes nothing._

I quickly licked the salt from my hand, grabbed my shot glass and poured the liquid in my mouth, then slammed the shot glass down on the bar. It didn't taste bad at all. I looked up at Emmett and smiled.

"You forgot your lime, Bella," James said with a chuckle.

"Oh." I blushed and shrugged my shoulders as I bit into the sour wedge he held up for me. I quickly scrunched up my face and shook my head.

"Gross. It was better without it." That earned me a laugh and applause from everyone in the room. "What?" I asked my brother.

"It's just awesome you like your tequila straight. Not many people do."

"Oh, well, can I have another one?" I asked, smiling.

"Yea, but go easy, this shit's a creeper."

"How 'bout she takes another one and then I'll make us some margaritas?" Rose asked as she kissed my brother's cheek.

"If she wants one."

"Yea, I'll take one."

Rosalie and Alice went to work on making us margaritas; the guys, of course, were sticking to shots because apparently these were "girly" drinks. Whatever. As long as they tasted good, it was fine by me.

"This is a blended peach margarita, Miss Bella. Enjoy." I giggled with her as I started to sip my drink.

I was almost halfway through my glass when my body started to get really warm. It started in my stomach and then traveled into my chest and landed on my face, but I was feeling really good. Almost too good—everything I thought about made me smile and giggle. I can only image how silly I looked sipping on my drink, laughing to myself.

"What's so funny, Bella?" A voice asked me from my right.

"Hi, Ryan. How are you?" I asked with a giggle.

"I'm great, and it looks like you're doing well." He laughed with me.

"Yea, I am."

"That's good. Are you enjoying your Spring Break?" he asked before he took another shot.

"Yep," I said, popping my 'p', causing him to laugh.

"You're a cheerleader, right?"

"Yea. How did you know?" I looked at him and cocked my head to the side.

"I play center field at school."

"Oh… okay… I knew I recognized your face. Except I feel like I know you anyway 'cause you sort of look like Colin Farrell." I had no idea where the hell my verbal filter went. He just gave a little chuckle. "Did anyone ever tell you that before?"

"Before tonight? No, nobody important." And then I swear to baby Jesus, he winked at me. Okay, no more Tequila for me.

"So, um, how old are you, Bella?"

"Fifteen." I smiled shyly.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Um…" I didn't want to say no because I did have a boyfriend. But I couldn't tell him yes because he would ask who, so I shook my head instead.

"Would you maybe want to watch a movie with me sometime?"

Before I had a chance to answer, there was a loud slam on the counter and a collection of "No's" shouted throughout the kitchen. I looked up and saw Emmett, Edward, Jasper and, of course, James standing on the other side of the island bar glaring like crazy at Ryan.

Ryan, seeing the same thing I saw, put his hands in the air as surrender and gave them a small smile.

"Hey, I was just asking."

"Okay, come on, Bella, we got a fire going outside," Rose said as she and Alice took hold of my arms and dragged me away from the kitchen. I was about to tell them to stop so I could hear what was going on, but, of course, being the best friends that they are, they had the same thing in mind. When we rounded the corner, Rose pushed us against the side of the wall so we could eavesdrop.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Ryan?" Emmett sounded really pissed.

"Dude, we were just talking."

"Don't give us that shit. You were fucking hitting on her," James growled out.

"Were you fucking trying to take advantage of Bella being drunk, you fuck stick?"

"Geez, Edward, give me some fucking credit, dude. I like her."

I looked at Rose and Alice who were looking at me with smiles on their faces. I simply shrugged my shoulders because, honestly, I had James and I wasn't looking for anyone else.

"What the fuck do you mean you like her? You just fucking met her," James snapped.

"Easy, James, shit. I've seen her at school before and around town. You guys are always talking about her. Tonight was the first time I got to actually talk to her though. She's funny and smart… plus I think she's beautiful." I blushed at his confession that earned him a few growls from the boys.

"Yea, well, it's not going to happen. So forget it."

"Are you serious, Emmett? Why not?"

"She's my baby sister and she's off limits."

"Dude, you act like I'm gonna hurt her or something."

"Look," I could hear Emmett taking a deep breath, "it's nothing personal. You're my friend and if you want to stay my friend, you need to back the fuck off, okay?" I could tell he wasn't being mean to him; he was almost pleading actually.

"Alright, dude. I seriously didn't mean to piss you off, and I hope you know I was not going to take advantage of her."

"I do know it and so does Edward. We're all really protective of her. Just keep her as a friend, okay?"

"Okay. I am sorry guys, I didn't mean to make you all mad. We cool?"

I heard all the guys tell him they were cool, and Jasper suggested they do another shot. Rose smiled and winked at me before they both grabbed my hands and took me outside to join the others.

There were chairs set up in a semicircle in front of the fire, where Gavin and Scotty were playing guitars. I took an empty chair and watched and listened as they finished up their rendition of a Bob Marley song and clapped when it ended.

"We're taking requests," Gavin teased.

"Do you know any Tom Petty?" Edward asked as the rest of the guys sat down.

Scotty handed Edward the guitar and he began the opening notes to "Last Dance with Mary Jane." Gavin jumped right in with him as we all sang along. They played a few more songs before Emmett mentioned that I knew how to play.

"Yea, Edward and my dad taught her when she was little," he told Tyler.

"Do you want to play, Bella?" Gavin asked.

"No, no, I'm good. Thanks." I was enjoying my buzz.

"Oh come on, Belly…" Emmett whined.

"No," I told him with a smile.

"Please…" he pouted.

"Come on, Bella, just one song?" Tyler and Eric joined in with the pleading.

"Not gonna happen," I told them and looked back at my feet.

"Come on, Bella, just one," James said, smiling at me. Great, now he was even in on it.

"Fine," I said with a huff, "give me a guitar, Gavin."

If I hadn't had any liquid courage, then I would never have attempted to sing in front of people other than family. My thanks to Patron and his help.

"Do that one, sis," Emmett said with a wink; of course he would want that one.

I've only really sang in front of Edward and Emmett and the girls. James and I sang a few times when we were alone; he has a great voice too. I just hated being put on the spot, but my brother never asks me for anything and I couldn't say no to him.

"Come on, Edward." I smiled at my partner.

He took the seat next to me while I adjusted the guitar. Everyone around us settled into their spots while Edward started to speak.

"So, we're going to take you back…" his voice turned deep like Barry White, "way back… back into time."

I started laughing really hard… I couldn't help it, no matter how many times we've done this, that voice always made me laugh. Everyone else joined in as well and suddenly the nerves were gone; I was completely relaxed. I looked over to Edward and smiled my gratitude.

"We're gonna do a little duet from one of my favorite movies, _Infamous_; of course, I'll be singing Gwyneth Paltrow's part and my dear man Edward here will take Huey Lewis'," I said to everyone and then began strumming along with Edward.

Edward's melodic voice started the song, "_Baby, let's cruise_," and I quickly followed him, "_away from here._"  
"_Don't be confused_," his voice flowed through the night air, with mine right behind, "_the way is clear._"  
I watched Edward as we played, making sure we met the next lines together.

_And if you want it, you got it forever  
This is not a one night stand, baby, yeah so_  
_Let the music take your mind  
Just release and you will find_

I smiled over to my brother as we started to sing the chorus. Of all the songs I've ever sang, this was his favorite.

_You're gonna fly away  
Glad you're goin' my way  
I love it when we're cruisin' together  
The music is played for love,  
Cruisin' is made for love  
I love it when we're cruisin' together_

I had the sudden urge to stand and felt myself getting completely into the song as Edward began to sing his part.  
Edward's soulful voice started the verse, "_Baby tonight,_" with mine following his again, "_belongs to us._"

I set the guitar down and made my way over to where Edward was. Keeping in tune with him, I placed my back against the side of his and slinked my way down and then back up again. Of course, the guys being the guys that they were, and my girls being the girls that they were, let out an obscene amount of  
hoots, hollers and whistles. Normally I would have NEVER been this bold in front of people, but I was blaming it on the Patron.

_Everything's right, do what you must  
And inch by inch we get closer and closer  
To every little part of each other ooh baby, yeah  
So let the music take your mind  
Just release and you will find_

_You're gonna fly away  
Glad you're goin' my way  
I love it when we're cruisin' together  
The music is played for love,  
Cruisin' is made for love  
I love it when we're cruisin' together_

My buzz was going pretty good, and as I kept singing, so was my confidence. I left a smiling Edward and made my way over to the girls, sitting on their laps while I continued to sing. Alice and Rose were laughing and dancing around with me.

_Cruise with me baby  
oooooohhhhhhhhhhhh_  
_Baby let's cruise  
Let's flow, let's glide  
Ooooh let's open up, and go inside  
and if you want it you got it forever  
I can just stay here beside you  
and love you baby,_

I made my way back over to Edward and continued to sing with him. I grabbed the chair next to us and flipped it so my chest was leaning against the back while I straddled the chair. I leaned forward so my face was right next to Edward's as we sang the rest of the song.

_You're gonna fly away  
glad you're going my way  
I love it when we're cruisin' together  
The music is played for love  
Cruisin' is made for love  
I love it when,  
I love it, I love it, I love it_

When everyone started to clap for us, I took Edward's hand and we both bowed, laughing together. It was a fun song to sing with him, and even with my shyness, it felt really good to just go with it.

"Holy shit, Bella, that was awesome," Scotty and Mike yelled.

"No kidding," Gavin said facing me. "You can really sing, Bella."

"Thanks… well, who's next?" I asked, turning attention off of myself and handing the guitar out to whomever.

Jasper was the next to start playing with Edward, and I sat back down by Rose, who handed me a drink. We stayed out there all night listening to everyone play and sing around the fire. It was one of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time.

After about drink number four, I started to get the spins. I didn't want to puke, so I set my drink down and sank back into my chair, closing my eyes. The fresh air felt great, and listening to everyone around me was very soothing.

I felt him before I saw him.

I opened my eyes and locked on to James, who stared at me from the doorway of the house. God, he was sexy. He looked so James Dean, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, and a smirk playing on his lips. He mouthed "I love you" and then blew me a kiss. I wanted to touch him and kiss him, lick him and suck on him. I bit my lip as I felt my body reacting to him. My face was heated with my flush and my stomach was full of butterflies. I looked over at my brother who was sucking face with Rose on the chair next to me, then returned to stare at James, just in time to see he had pushed himself off the doorway and went inside.

"Em, I'm heading upstairs for bed." He mumbled something to me and waved me off. "Good night, everybody."

"Night, Bella," the others called out to me as I reached the door.

When I made it to my room, my thoughts were still on James and how fuck hot he was. Just thinking about him made my panties soaked. I opened my bedroom door and sucked in a lungful of air.

James was sitting there in only a pair of sweats. He had no shirt on, and his arms were stretched out on the back of the couch while he breathed heavily. His entire body called to me. His chest begged me to touch every curve, to lick and suck on every line on his stomach. His mouth wanted me to claim it, his hands needed me to hold them. His cock stretched the material on his sweats, begging me to free it.

"Damn, you're hot, James," I moaned as I locked the door.

"Do you have any idea how bad I want you right now?" I reached for the hem on my shirt and yanked it from my body as I kicked my shoes off to the side. His intake of breath added to my arousal and I quickly removed my pants, standing a few feet in front of him in only my bra and wet underwear. My body was on fire for him. My head was swimming in a pool of heat and tingling sensations.

"I want you so bad, James," I moaned to him as I unclasped my bra and let it fall from my arms, slowly dragging my hands down my breasts and stomach.

"You're so fucking beautiful, Bella," he whispered in a husky voice.

"I want to taste you," I whispered in the most sensual way. I hooked my thumbs in my panties and started to slowly shimmy them down while I continued to talk. "I want you in my mouth… mmm… I want to feel you on my tongue, hitting the back of my throat. Can I, baby?" I asked him as I straddled his hips and dragged my fingers down his chest. "Will you show me, baby, show me what to do?"

"Fuck, Bella…" James growled out, fisting my hair in his hands and slamming my mouth to his. He tasted so good, he felt so good, I could have done that all day with him.

His mouth left mine and started its attack against my neck, kissing and sucking my throat. "I love you, Bella."

It was extremely moving to hear him tell me he loved me. It was not easy for us to be together. Our love wasn't that love of Hallmark cards and gazing at sunsets. It was a dark love born of fear, tragedy and secrets. And yet, it was the most noble and tender love I had ever known.

Pinning him into the couch cushions, I kissed him with a ferocity I never knew existed in myself. I wanted to devour him with my mouth, my tongue, my body.

I pulled his head back and began to rain kisses against his throat. I slowly made my way to his chest and began licking every place I could see; I tasted the saltiness of his sweat and wanted more. I wanted him in my mouth. I wanted to show him how much I cared for him. I had never done that before, but I had heard girls talk about it. I was scared of not being good at it, but that fear was shot to shit when my hand made contact with his cock and I heard him moan.

I pulled down his sweatpants enough to take his hard cock in my hand. It was huge and beautiful and soft at the same time. I stroked him slowly, then quickly, then slowly again as I continued to lick his chest as if the end were near.

Pulling away from his body, I bent down and traced a side of his length with my tongue. The second my tongue made contact, James whimpered and buried his hands in my hair but wasn't forcing me down. I could tell he just needed to touch me. I ran my tongue back to the top and licked my way down the other side. I obviously did it right, coming from the sounds James made. On my trip back up, I alternated licking and kissing his length. He felt so good against my lips, and when I made it to the head of his erection, I wrapped my lips around the top and sucked once before I released him.

"Holy fuck," James cried out.

"Am I doing it right, baby?" I asked him quietly. "Does my mouth feel good?" Not giving him a chance to answer me, I took him in my mouth and teased the head of him again, tasting the saltiness of the drops falling on my tongue. I sucked harder, allowing more of him in my mouth. He guided me with his hands, showing me how fast, how hard. Listening to his moans and cries was such a fucking turn on, I felt myself dripping wet. I continued at the pace he wanted and I started to scratch my nails lightly on his thighs. He called my name and then suddenly pulled my mouth away from him.

"I want to try something," James ordered sharply. He grabbed me under my shoulders and tugged me up his body.

Leisurely, I straddled him. His face was contorted with his desire, his need for me. As I kissed him, I felt his erection at the juncture between my thighs and I began to shake. All I wanted to do was please him. I thought maybe we'd just fool around; I wasn't prepared to have sex. I was trying to be strong for him and let him love me, but I really was nervous.

"Bella?" James asked, forcing me to look at him. "I'm not going to force you to do anything, baby."

I knew this subconsciously, I trusted him wholeheartedly, but hearing those words caused me to sigh in relief.

"Do you trust me, Bella?"

"Of course."

Still holding my face, James kissed my cheeks and said, "I want to try something. If it's too much, all you have to do is tell me to stop, okay?"

I simply nodded my head.

"I want you to look at me, Bella. Don't take your eyes off of me." I obeyed.

He removed one hand from my face, and I felt it traveling down my body and meeting at my middle. He was watching me intently, making sure I was okay; my eyes could never lie to him, so when I felt him press his erection closer to my center, there was no way for me to hide my panic.

"Bella… trust me. Relax, baby."

I took a few deep breaths and nodded my head for him to continue. I felt him teasing my folds with the tip of his cock, spreading my fluids all around me. Scared as I was, I couldn't help but moan at the sensation he created down there. It felt incredible, flesh against flesh. He brought the tip through my juices one more time before he slid me closer to him, pressing me against his body, forcing my outer lips to envelope the length of his shaft, causing us both to moan.

"Holy fuck," I rasped out.

I felt every inch of him this way; he wasn't inside me, I was kissing him with my folds and the feeling was exquisite. He felt like silk, and the moisture coming from me provided us with the right amount of lubrication for me to slide back and forth on him.

We rocked together at a glacial pace, as if we were afraid the other would break. With each jerk of my hips along his shaft, I felt closer and closer to shattering. My entire body tingled; the juncture between my thighs felt like an inferno building up for an intense explosion.

This wasn't just sex or foreplay experimenting.

This was communion.

The pace sped up as he pushed my hips down onto him with his hands, creating the most delicious sensation, building up for my monumental orgasm. My eyes shut, my head flew back, and my mouth opened, reveling in my orgasmic bliss. My body tightened right before it broke into a thousand pieces; there was an explosion where we connected. I lost all sense of sight and smell, but I felt every bit of the shockwaves James had produced. I heard him moaning my name like a chant, a litany, "BellaBellaBellaBella," until he too was undone.

We stayed that way for awhile, just holding on to each other in the quiet of my room, until I was almost asleep.

"I wish you could sleep in here with me tonight."

"I can if I get up early enough to not get caught," he said with a shrug.

"Really?" My face lit up with that idea.

"Really," he laughed and kissed my nose.

"Let me go to the bathroom and then we'll go to bed."

I hurried and cleaned myself up then rushed to the bed, where James was already waiting for me. He flipped the covers back so I could climb in next to him, then wrapped me in his arms. I laid my head on his chest and slowly traced circles on his stomach with my fingers, running them through the patch of hair by his navel.

"This feels really nice, James," I hummed. "I love you holding me."

I felt him kiss the top of my head and his arms squeezed me a little tighter. I placed my hand over his heart and snuggled closer to him. He had put his sweats on which would make it easier in case he had to make a quick getaway.

"I'm glad you wanted to sleep in here with me, James."

"I would sleep with you every night if we could get away with it."

He started to lazily run his fingers over my back, creating tiny goose bumps on my flesh. I was fighting sleep off in order to enjoy his touching. His touch did wonders to my body and I hummed in response. We lay there for a good while before he spoke.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Hmm."

"I really am sorry if I hurt you today." He sounded so sad as he apologized.

Where the hell did that come from? I lifted my head off his chest so I could look in his eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I watched a single tear roll down his cheek.

"Baby…" I whispered and quickly brought my hand to his face and wiped away his tear. "It's okay, Ja…" I started to speak but he interrupted me.

"No, Bella. It is NOT okay. I fucking hate myself so much right now for hurting you."

I went to tell him he really didn't hurt me, but he stopped me.

"You did not deserve that. I'm the jealous asshole who needs to control his shit. I would kill someone if they hurt you, and then I turn around and do it."

He started to clench his jaw, and I felt his hands ball in to fists. I hated that he was suffering so much. He didn't even hurt me that bad. I overreacted… I had to go and make a big deal about something so petty and now he's beating himself up about it.

"James, it wasn't that bad." I tried to reassure him.

"Yes it was, Bella." His voice broke again. "You are my angel and I will never do that again. I should never have grabbed you like that and I'm so sorry… so fucking sorry." He leaned his head down to kiss me. I sat up a little so I could wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back.

"You gotta forgive me, angel. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you," he begged.

"I already did, baby. I know you didn't mean to." I rested my head against his shoulder and let my fingers run through his hair, hoping to calm him down.

"I didn't mean it, and I promise you I will never do it again."

"Okay, baby, but I don't ever want you to bring it up again. You said sorry, I forgive you, now no more torturing yourself." I kissed his chest and brought my hand back down to lay against his heart. "We're gonna be fine, James."

"I love you, Bella."

"I know you do, baby. That's why I know you didn't mean to grab me so hard."

He hugged me tightly before he lifted my face up to his to kiss me deeply. His hands traveled along my back and up my shoulders, down my chest and finally rested on my hips. It was completely natural to lay with him; I felt at home in his arms. Home.

"James?"

"Yea, baby."

"What was South Carolina like?"

I felt him stiffen and heard him inhale sharply. He had never talked about his life before Forks and I wondered if I just hit a sore spot for him. After the day we had, I didn't want to ruin anything by making him relive things he wasn't ready to do yet.

"It's okay, James, you don't have to tell me." I reassured him. "I was just curious is all." He sighed heavily and began rubbing light patterns on my back.

"No, I want to tell you… I need to tell you. I'm just worried about what you will think of me after I do," he whispered.

I lifted my head slightly so he would look at me, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. Gently, I brought my hand up and cupped his cheek, turning his head towards mine, and kissed him. When I pulled back, he opened his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, James, okay?"

He rubbed his thumb on my bottom lip and kissed my forehead. I rested my head back on his chest and waited for him to talk.

"First off, I want you to know that I love you and I've changed a lot because of you. You've helped me be a better person, Bella." It was one of the sweetest things he'd ever said to me, but I refused to interrupt him. He obviously needed to say this to me. So my lips pressed against his chest as I waited for him to start.

"Did you know that's where I originally know Jasper from?" I simply nodded my head. "He was my friend all through grade school and most of middle school. We pretty much did everything together as kids until he left. His family moved away at the beginning of our 8th grade year. I was really bummed out. He was the only friend who knew what things were like at home for me and he never judged me."

I could tell by his breathing that this was hard for him to talk about, and I felt bad for bringing it up. He was set on telling me his story, so I made sure to be the supportive girlfriend that he needed right now. I placed a quick kiss on his lips and hugged him tightly while waiting for him to continue.

"My mother took off on me and my dad when I was ten. I didn't care too much; she wasn't much of a mom anyway. Still to this day, I don't know where she is. My dad didn't take it too well though. He started drinking more, throwing things and yelling at me a lot..." When he paused, my heart dropped. I knew where this was going and I ached for him. I heard in his voice how painful it was to remember and I mentally slapped myself for causing him to relive this. My arms tightened around him to comfort him the best I could.

"I didn't mind the beatings at first. He kept telling me it would make me a stronger man. That he was toughening me up. But the older I got, the harder they came. I would stand there and take it, but I was constantly thinking, 'Why does he hate me so much?' I just didn't get it." I couldn't stop the sob that came out or the tears that fell onto his chest. It broke my heart to think of him being hurt by someone who was supposed to love and care for him. James reached for my face and began to wipe my tears away.

"I didn't mean to make you cry, Bella," he whispered.

I leaned into him and kissed his mouth as hard as I could. I wanted to take away all those horrible memories for him; I wanted him to feel nothing but love from now on. I knew from this moment on that no matter what James did, I would always be there. He needed me, I needed him, and I would never abandon or hurt him.

I pulled away from the kiss and looked him in his eyes.

"I am so sorry you had to go through that, baby. I'm sorry that someone hurt you. I will never hurt you, James… ever!" And I meant every word.

He pulled me into his arms and held me so tightly it physically hurt, but this is what he needed. He kissed my head and let me settle back on to his chest so he could finish his story.

"I never told anyone at school what was going on; you're the only person that knows. Jasper doesn't even know the severity of it, really. He was there to witness his temper, but I don't think he ever saw him hit me. Anyways, things continued like that for me until my 18th birthday, May 2nd 2005, a day I'll never forget. Now that I was an adult, I could move out and get away from him. When he saw me packing my bags, he came into the room and started shoving me.

"I did my best at trying to ignore it and pack as fast as I could, but he wouldn't stop. He was in my face screaming and then started pushing me. I warned him, baby, I swear I did, that he needed to stop or I was going to make him stop. He didn't believe me, kept screaming at me and then he hit me in the face and busted my lip." His arms tightened their hold on me and his breathing started to deepen and pick up. Whatever he was thinking about was upsetting him again. I placed kisses on him and tried to sooth him by rubbing my hands on his arms, but it wasn't working. I felt his body start to shake and when I looked at him, I saw tears running down his face.

Immediately I sat up and cradled him against me, gently rocking him while he cried. I kissed the top of his head over and over, telling him that it was going to be okay. He buried his face into my chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. It was pure agony watching him break down and not being able to stop it. To grow up in an environment like that had to be hell; having to try and fight off your own father would be a nightmare. I didn't know what to say to him, so I kept holding him and letting him know that I was here for him. He was still crying when he started to speak again.

"I didn't mean to hurt him…" his voice was broken and regretful, causing me to ache with him. "I just wanted to make him stop. But when I punched him once, it was like reliving all those beatings he put me through, and I kept hitting him. I didn't stop until the police showed up and dragged me off him. Apparently, a neighbor called in a noise complaint…huh… can you believe that shit?" he huffed in annoyance. "For all those years I was being hit, not once were the cops ever called, but on the day I stand up to him, I'm the one arrested."

I gasped and my body went still. "What… you… how could they do that? You were a kid."

"No, at 12:01 am on the 2nd, I became an adult and was arrested for assault."

"I'm sorry, baby…" I resumed rubbing his back and kissing his head. "What a bunch of bullshit."

"Yea, I know. My public defender was a moron, and because I had no proof of anything I went through, no one believed me. The judge said there was no excuse for what I did to my father. He gave me sixty days in jail, an $1800 fine and two and a half years' probation.

"When I got out, I didn't have anywhere to go. It was hard to get a job because I had a record now; I crashed any place I could find. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, Bella, just to survive. I've used people..." he paused and hugged me closer to him, "I used mostly women, Bella. I'd lie to get things from them, not caring if they were going to get hurt... I stole, sold drugs, anything that could help me get a place and pay my bills. The fucking courts wanted money for my fine, my public defender and my probation officer. It was hard to pay for household shit, let alone give the courts money; I had to do what I had to do, baby."

I leaned into him and gave his body a little shake. "Look at me, James." I waited until he met my gaze. "Nothing you did makes me think less of you… Nothing. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

"I love you…" He sighed and snuggled back into my chest while I raked my fingers through his hair.

"I had been out for about a month when my aunt called me and asked for my help. My uncle had just died and she wanted me to help go through his things and make more room in her house. She told me I could have his truck and whatever else I wanted of his. When I got here, I ended up running into Jasper and made the decision to move and start fresh. My aunt agreed to let me live with her while I finished up school, and I drove my truck back to South Carolina to get my things.

"Unfortunately, my P.O. was waiting for me and informed me that I wasn't supposed to leave state. The bitch put me back in jail for forty days for violating my probation. When I got out, I packed what I wanted and left. There was no way I could stay there for another two years doing what I had been doing. I'd end up with more charges, or homeless, or on drugs.

"They don't know I'm here, Bella..." he whispered. "I jumped probation and if I'm caught it will be revoked and I'll have to sit it out in jail. This is what I needed you to know. If you are ever with me and we get stopped by the police, I'm going to have to lie. I don't like having to do it, but I can't give them my real information. Whatever story I tell the cops, I need you to go along with, okay?"

I was nervous to agree because I am such a horrible liar, and with my dad being a cop, I know how much trouble you can get into by lying to the police. But if James needed me to do it, then I would find a way to keep him out of jail, even if I had to go against everything I've been taught and lie to the police.

"I'll do whatever I have to for you, James."

"My name isn't James Carter." There was a brief silence and I desperately tried to hide my panic, but it was no use. My heart rate had picked up, my face was flush, and I started to sweat. I wasn't prepared for that. I took everything else he said tonight a lot better than many would think. But to hear him tell me he wasn't who I thought he was freaked me out.

"Baby, calm down." James sat up and cupped my cheeks. "Shh, it's okay… it's not what you think."

"I'm sorry." I blew out the breath I had been holding.

"No, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have blurted it out like that… What I meant was… I was born Marcus James Tucker. My mom started calling me James a few years before she took off; I guess having two Marcuses was hard on her. I've been used to being called James. Since I am technically hiding from the cops, I had to forge some papers for the school; but, luckily, in a small town, things worked out for me. I didn't have much trouble enrolling or getting a new ID; I switched the order of the names and took my aunt's last name. I got to start fresh though; don't you see, Bella? I'm still the same person, I just get to start over." He whispered the last part, as if I would judge him.

"I don't care what your name was. You are my James and you are not ever going back to jail. I won't let anyone take you away from me."

"So you're really okay with all this… I mean, you don't want me to turn myself in?"

"Hell no. We found each other for a reason and no one will break us apart." I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him to my lips. I didn't care what his name was, or what he was running from. I was just glad he was safe and we were together.

I felt his tongue on my lips, seeking entrance to my mouth, which I eagerly granted. Our tongues rolled around each other while our hands molded us together. James pressed his body against mine, laying me down on the bed underneath him. My hands traveled from his neck to his back, caressing his shoulders and spine. I loved the feel of his skin. As our kisses intensified, I could feel James pressing against my naked core. I hooked my arms under his and placed my hands on to his shoulders as I lifted my hips to rub against his erection.

He moaned into my mouth and began to rock against me. He rested his weight on his elbows with his hands caressing my face. He matched me thrust for thrust until we were both panting wildly and I was falling into orgasmic heaven. James rode out my orgasm with me and then sped up until he found his release.

He lay his full weight down on me and placed his face in my neck, while he tried to catch his breath. The sensation of his body on mine was incredible. He tried to move, but I held him to me, not wanting to let him go. I felt him smile against my neck as he placed light kisses on me.

This felt right.

This was how it's supposed to be.

I realized a long time ago that I'd never function without him. I needed him just as much as he needed me.

"James… I lo…" I was silenced by his hand over my mouth.

"Don't say it tonight." His eyes pleaded with me to understand. "Not tonight."

I shook my head yes, and when he removed his hand, I told him with my kiss what he stopped my mouth from saying.

Eventually he got up and left the room to change his sweats. I took advantage of that time and cleaned myself up as well. I grabbed a pair of underwear and threw on a simple t-shirt as I waited for him to come back.

We wrapped ourselves around each other and sighed into the empty room. It felt good lying there with him. I felt his love for me and I hoped I was projecting my love to him. I was spoiling myself with having him in my bed; I wasn't sure how I was ever going to sleep without him.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to sleep without you, James. This feels so good." I hummed.

He lightly kissed my forehead and pulled me tighter against his chest.

"I need you to do me a favor, Bella," he told me while resting his cheek against the top of my head.

"Of course, baby."

"I trust you… completely… it's just…" he started then stopped.

"What is it?" I lifted my head away so I could look in his eyes.

"I want you to stay the fuck away from Ryan."

With a smile on my face and a kiss to his lips, I replied, "Okay, James."

"Thank you, baby."

No questions asked… ever again.

I completely understood why he'd tell me this. He had no one to teach him patience or trust, no one to love him back. He was insecure and treated horribly as a kid.

It wasn't going to be a problem at all for me; it's what James needed and I would do it. I didn't even know Ryan anyways. And besides, if I had overheard some girl say that they wanted to date James, I'd want that bitch nowhere near him. I would put up with his jealousy and his short temper. He loved me and I loved him.

We once again found ourselves pressed tightly against each other before sleep overtook me and I was dreaming of a certain blue-eyed boy who loved me.


	8. Chapter 8

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading my story. Glad you're enjoying it. **

**This chapter went by kind of fast, hope it makes sense to you. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**BPOV**

The rest of March and all of April went by very fast. Before I knew it, it was Friday May 2nd and we were at James' birthday bonfire, talking Prom and Graduation. Everyone was told to bring a blanket or beach chair and something to drink. Us girls brought a blanket so we could lay down if we wanted. Rose, Alice and I were sprawled across the blanket while the guys sat around us in their chairs.

"So, Bella, are you going with us tomorrow to look for dresses?" Alice asked me while she played with my hair.

"I told you I would, but don't try to get me in a fitting room though," I teased.

"Do you already have a dress?" Rosalie asked with eyebrows raised.

"No," I shook my head. "I'm not going to prom."

"WHAT!" Both Alice and Rosalie screamed as they sat up, which caused everyone to look over at us.

I felt my face redden as I sat up with them.

"Why the hell aren't you going to prom, Bella?" Rosalie asked with a scowl on her face.

I kept my head down; my fingers began to pick at a loose thread on the blanket while I shrugged my shoulders.

"You have to go to prom, Bella," Alice whined.

"I'm not even a senior, Alice." I spoke lightly, hoping for only the girls to hear. "Besides, no one's asked me."

I heard a collection of "what the hell's?" coming from behind me and turned slightly to see the shocked look on a few of the guys who were standing next to my brother.

"_If you weren't okay with it, Emmett, you should have just said so."_

"_Emmett, I asked you like two weeks ago."_

"_Fuck, Emmett, you told me she had a date."_

Not understanding what the hell was going on, I looked back at the girls. Alice was pissed and Rose was staring daggers at my brother who happened to be watching his feet kick the sand.

"Emmett," Rosalie seethed. "Of all the stupid, selfish, asinine, meat-headed, idiotic things you have ever done," she shouted, "this beats them all! How fucking could you?"

"Fuck!" Emmett shouted. "I know… shit… I'm sorry, Sis."

"What are you talking about?" I looked around at the scene in front of me. Rosalie and Alice were glaring away at him, while the guys seemed to wear very disgusted looks on their faces.

"Jesus, Em," Rosalie shouted and turned to me. "This knucklehead over here has apparently been lying to every guy who's wanted to take you to prom."

I stood there with my mouth hanging open, confused by why my brother would do this but also the fact that _guys -_ as in plural - wanted to take me to prom.

"I know it sounds bad, Bella… shit, it is bad… but I didn't do it to hurt you or piss you off," he pleaded with me.

I tried to say something back to him, but my mouth kept opening and closing with nothing. Rosalie stood next to me and continued to glare at my brother as she explained to me what it was my brother had done.

"We were in auto mechanics last week, when Ryan came up and asked Emmett if he could take you to prom," she stated. I whipped my head to the side and looked at Ryan, who smiled kindly at me, I felt a blush creep its way to my face as I smiled and looked away.

Rose continued, "Emmett said he'd ask you and get back to him. Then Gavin came up to us the next day and asked Emmett the same thing and he told him you had a date already. Then Connor, Drew, and Alec had come up to him throughout the week, and Emmett kept saying you had a date. Who knows how many more asked him when I wasn't around." She huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms.

I was blown away that so many guys had wanted to ask me to prom. Me, plain and simple boring Bella. There was nothing special about me; I was extremely confused. But I also wondered why Emmett would do that. Did he not want me to go to prom? Was he getting annoyed with me being around all the time? He never made me feel as if I was a burden on him or that he was getting tired of me around all the time. Maybe he didn't know how to tell me I was getting annoying. I chanced a glance at him and saw how remorseful he looked.

"Why, Emmett?" I asked quietly. A little hurt to think he just might not want me around.

"I'm sorry, Sis," he said softly. "It's just… fuck… I told those guys before that they needed to leave you alone, you're my baby sister." He rubbed his face angrily and looked at the sky before meeting my eyes again. "It was obvious someone was going to end up asking you and I panicked… I'm not ready for you to be dating anybody… especially my friends." He looked to his left and then back to me. "Edward here was going to ask you to go with him. That way you could still go to prom and I wouldn't have to worry about my friends hitting on my little sister."

"So, you have to approve? It's not that you're getting tired of me tagging along—I can go to prom, I just can't go with anyone who actually wants to take me?" I spoke to him, emotionless as I tried to wrap my mind around it. I looked over to Edward, pissed that he would go along with this as well. "And you were being my White Knight taking me out on a pity date, so you could protect me because guys only want me in order to steal my virtue, right?"

"No, Bel…" they both tried to say, but I stopped them, holding my hand up in the air.

"I thought you were joking that time you asked why I couldn't be ugly, but I get it. If I was ugly, it'd be an automatic thing for me to not have guys look my way; there would be nothing for you to worry about. I'd be locked away in my room, hiding from the outside world, because what guy would ever be interested in something other than my looks, right?" They kept trying to interrupt, but I wasn't finished. "You call these guys your friends, yet you don't trust them enough to treat your poor pitiful sister with respect." I stood staring at them as I tried to control the tears. "Do you really think of me as being so naïve, I'd let someone take advantage of me, Em?"

"Fuck…" Emmett growled. "I do _NOT_ think that way about you, Bella."

"Don't be mad at your brother, Bella." James stood and walked over to me. "I was in on it too. But I had other motives." He looked over at Emmett then back down to me. "I wanted to be the first guy to ask you, and I was just trying to buy some time so I could find the right way to do it. It's hard for Emmett to see his friends going after his little sister, even I get that. Both Edward and I agreed that you'd feel weird going with him, so I told him not to do it. I told him I wanted to ask you, and tonight I was going to; unfortunately for Emmett, I didn't get my chance."

I could understand somewhat where Emmett was coming from; I mean, I sure as hell wouldn't want my girlfriends trying to date my brother if he was single. Plus he did kind of tell his friends to back off. I can only imagine what that would do to James if I went with someone else… wait... what…

"You were going to ask me to prom?" My insides were doing a little happy dance; he was going to ask me. Even if it was to appease my brother, I would still be able to go with him to prom.

"Yes, I was. I mean, I am…" He grabbed my other hand. "Will you go to prom with me?"

If I wasn't so elated about actually getting to be his date, I would have said "no." I didn't want someone to ask me out of pity, but there was no one else I would rather go with than James. And I knew he wasn't asking out of pity. He found a loophole… and that just happened to be my overprotective brother.

"Okay." I hated how pathetic my voice sounded. As horrible as it was for Emmett to pull that shit, he had just made my night.

"I'm sorry, Bella…" Edward came over and gave me a hug. He looked to my brother for a moment then back at me. "The older and prettier you get, the harder it's going to be on Em. Don't be too hard on him. It's hard for all of us, Jasper included, watching guys look at you like they do."

My brother had walked over to me and placed his arm around my shoulder. "You can't be mad at me, Belly Bear, I love you."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and gave him a little squeeze.

"I'm not mad at you, Em," I sighed. "I don't think I could ever be mad at you. You're just a big teddy bear, really." I giggled as he tickled my sides.

"You're my little sister and it's my job to take care of you."

"Emmett, I know being a big brother comes with certain duties, and I appreciate everything you have done for me, I truly do. But do you expect me to be alone for the rest of my life?"

"No, I… it's just going to take a little time getting used to the idea of you having boys interested. It drives me crazy seeing guys check you out... especially my friends. I can't handle thinking about you getting kissed or groped by a guy. "

"I get that, Emmett, I do. But… did you ever stop and think of my feelings at all? I sit around watching you with Rosalie, Alice with Jasper, hanging all over each other all the time. I have to hear every day at school about Edward and his nightly conquests… and I don't say anything, because I am truly happy that you guys are happy… but… I mean…" I had to pause for a moment to get my thoughts in order. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to _NOT_ get jealous watching couples around me kiss and hold hands, or to not feel left out when you guys go on dates? It's a lot harder than you think."

"Aww, Belly," he whispered and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. I shouldn't have said that to him out there in public, but I needed him to know. The night was supposed to be a happy, fun party, not Bella/Emmett drama. The night got intense fast, and I desperately needed to lighten up the mood. I hugged him back then slowly pulled away.

"I respect you for trying to protect me, I really do, but I have to tell you… in all honesty… that when Paul Walker knocks on my door, you better get the hell out of my way."

I heard the few people around us laugh along with us and felt the tension slowly die down.

"I promise you, when that day comes, I'm driving my ass out of town. There's no way in hell I want to be anywhere remotely close to hearing you."

"That's just gross, Em," I teased.

"Yea, tell me about it."

I sat back down on the blanket and watched the fire, feeling much better about the prom situation. Emmett pulled Rosalie down on his lap when he sat back in his chair. Jasper sat behind Alice and wrapped his arms around her, while James took the chair behind me, and I turned and smiled up at him. I was going to ask him to come sit with me before I felt the spot next to me shift with the weight of someone sitting. I turned to see Edward looking at me, somewhat remorseful.

"You can't believe for one second that I was going to ask you out of pity."

"I don't, Edward," I admitted quietly. "I'm sorry I said that to you."

"We've known each other for years, Bella, and I truly thought we could have had a good time. Plus, we would have taken _great_ pictures…" He said the last part with a wink.

"Shut up." I laughed and slapped his arm.

"It's true, Bella, we're very beautiful," he said as if he had just had an epiphany.

"You are _so _vain," I teased.

"Well, do you think I could get a picture with you and maybe a few dances too?"

"Do you really have to ask that?" I smiled at him and leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett called. "Since you're technically not going on a 'date' date with James, why don't you go with both of them?" My head snapped over in his direction and my eyes shot up in surprise.

"Are you serious?" He had just been freaking out about the idea of me going on a date with one guy, now he was encouraging me to go out with two in one night.

"Well, yea… I mean Edward doesn't have a date and it's not like…" I cut him off and turned to Edward.

"You don't have a date?" He shook his head. "How do you _not_ have a date?"

"I told you I wasn't going to ask you out of pity. I really wanted to take you," he said sheepishly.

"Oh."

_What the hell do you say to that? _

I wanted to go on this date with James alone; it was going to be the perfect opportunity for us to actually appear out in public together as a couple, even if it would have been under false pretenses. But as I sat there and looked over at Edward's sad face, I knew I was going to have to find another way for James and me to be alone.

Edward stared into the fire, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. His knees were bent and his arms hung loosely around them, one hand held the other around the wrist. His shoulders were slightly hunched over as if he had been defeated. His body language made him look sad, and the absence of emotion on his face made me feel bad for him. There was no way I was _not_ going to go with him. I did not want to cause problems for James and me, but Edward had always been there for me. Why wouldn't I do it?

"Well, I'm not sure how it would work, but I wouldn't mind," I told him sincerely.

His head turned towards me and he smiled. "Really?"

"Yea, I mean if James doesn't mind," I said and turned around to look at him, praying to God that he wouldn't be pissed at me.

He surprised the hell out of me by smiling at both of us and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm cool with it." He looked at Edward and chuckled. "It'll give me the chance to show you up with my dating skills." Edward shook his head and started laughing while he absentmindedly drew small circles on my hand that he held in his lap.

"So this means I have two guys to hang on all night?" I looked at Alice and Rosalie. "Wow. Not bad for my first date, huh?" We all started laughing.

I put my free hand out towards James and motioned for him to take it. "Well, you better get over here so we can practice for our double date." I wiggled my eyebrows playfully at him.

"Hey!" Emmett groaned in annoyance, before Rosalie smacked him on his chest while everyone else laughed. James smiled down at me and sat on my other side, taking the hand I had offered.

We sat in that position for some time, Edward on my right holding my hand, James on my left holding my other hand, before Scotty and Stacey came over and suggested we start comedy hour.

"What is comedy hour?" I asked.

Apparently, this can only be done during a bonfire. You assemble chairs around the fire and someone starts off by telling a joke. It can be any joke; stupid, vulgar, childish, no holds barred. Then the next person goes, then the next, and so on, until everyone around the fire has told a joke. I saw my brother bounce in his chair with excitement. I had to mentally roll my eyes at his enthusiasm; if anyone was good at jokes, it was him. I was just glad I had been around him long enough to have learned a few, otherwise I would have sucked.

Tyler threw another pallet on the fire and helped set up more chairs around the flames. It was 11:30 and there were still about fifty kids here at the beach. Most of the guys had their girlfriends sitting on their laps, which gave people more room to join in on the fun.

"Okay, who's going first?" Emmett yelled as he rubbed his hands together, making himself look like a mad scientist.

"Scott should start, since it was his idea. Then we'll move clockwise," Stacey suggested. Everyone agreed and the jokes began to spread around the campfire.

After we all composed ourselves from Scotty's joke, it was Eric's turn, and he was just as funny. There were six others to go before it got to Edward. I had heard his joke before but still laughed while he told it. He and Carlisle had a million different doctor jokes, most of them crude, which of course Edward had selected from.

"Pervert," I teased and nudged him with my shoulder while we waited for people to stop laughing.

"Tell me you weren't going to tell a dirty one." He smiled.

"I wasn't," I said innocently, but I looked away from him because he was right. I did have a dirty one picked out, but I changed my mind at the last second.

"Okay, Bella's up."

_A guy walks into a bar with his pet monkey. He orders himself one drink, occasionally sipping on it. The whole time he's there, this monkey is running wild, running back and forth, slamming bar stools over, screeching at the top of his lungs; the guy just seems to tune him out. Well, after about ten minutes, the monkey jumps up on the pool table and grabs the cue ball, sticks it in his mouth, and swallows it whole._

_The bartender is livid and says to the guy, "Did you see what your monkey just did?"_

_"No. What did that stupid shit do this time?" _

_"Well, he just swallowed the cue ball off the pool table, whole," says the bartender._

_"Yeah, well I hope it kills the fucker because he's been driving me nuts." _

_The guy finishes his drink and leaves._

_Two weeks later, he comes back with the monkey. He orders a drink and the monkey starts running wild around the bar again. While the man is drinking his drink, the monkey finds some peanuts on the bar, grabs one, sticks it up his ass, then pulls it out and eats it. The bartender is disgusted._

_"Did you see what your monkey did now?" he asks._

_"What now?" _

_"Well, he stuck a peanut up his ass, then pulled it out and ate it," says the bartender._

_"Well, what do you expect?" replied the patron. "Ever since he ate that damn cue ball, he measures everything first!"_

"Gross, Bella," Edward laughed out. James went next, followed by Jasper and Alice. We barely had time to laugh at Alice's before my brother was telling everyone to shut up for his turn.

"Semi-clean, Em, please?" I asked.

"Fine," he huffed. "Now I have to think of a different one…. okay, got it."

_A woman decides to have a facelift for her birthday. She spends $5,000 and feels pretty good about the results. On her way home she stops at a newsstand to buy a paper. Before leaving, she asks the sales clerk, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but how old do you think I am?" _

_"About 32", the clerk replies. _

_"I'm actually 47," the woman says happily._

_A little while later, she goes into McDonald's, and upon getting her order, asks the counter girl the same question. She replies, "I'd guess about 29." _

_The woman replies, "Nope, I am 47." Now she is feeling really good about herself. _

_While waiting for the bus home, she asks an old man the same question. He replies, "I'm 78 and my eyesight is starting to go. Although, when I was young, there was a sure way to tell how old a woman was, but it requires you to let me put my hands up your shirt and feel your boobs. Then I can tell exactly how old you are." _

_They waited in silence on the empty street until curiosity got the best of the woman, and she finally said, "What the hell, go ahead." _

_The old man slips both hands up her shirt, under her bra, and begins to feel around. After a couple of minutes, she says, "Okay, okay, how old am I?" _

_He removes his hands and says, "You are 47." _

_Stunned, the woman says, "That is amazing! How did you know?" _

_The old man replies, "I was behind you in line at McDonald's."_

"And you were calling _me_ gross, Em? That's perverted," I laughed out.

"Well, it was one of the cleaner ones I had." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"Okay, dummy, it's my turn…" Rosalie stated. "This will clearly explain why you never send a man to do a woman's job…"

"_A few months ago, there was an opening with the CIA for an assassin. These highly classified positions are hard to fill, and there's a lot of testing and background checks involved before you can even be considered for the position. _

_After sending some applicants through the background checks, training and testing, they narrowed the possible choices down to two men and one woman, but only one position was available. _

_The day came for the final test to see which person would get the extremely secretive job. The CIA men administering the test took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun._

_"We must know that you will follow your instructions no matter what the circumstances," they explained. "Inside this room, you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Take this gun and kill her." _

_The man got a shocked look on his face and said, "You can't be serious! I could never shoot my own wife!"_

"_Well," said the CIA man, "you're definitely not the right man for this job then." _

_So they bring the second man to the same door and hand him a gun. "We must know that you will follow instructions no matter what the circumstances," they explained to the second man. "Inside you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Take this gun and kill her." _

_The second man looked a bit shocked, but nevertheless took the gun and went in the room. All was quiet for about five minutes, then the door opened. The man came out of the room with tears in his eyes. "I tried to shoot her. I just couldn't pull the trigger and shoot my wife. I guess I'm not the right man for the job." _

_"No," the CIA man replied. "You don't have what it takes. Take your wife and go the hell home." _

_Now it was down to the woman. Again they lead her to the same door and hand her the same gun. "We must be sure that you will follow instructions no matter what the circumstances. This is your final test. Inside you will find your husband sitting in a chair. Take this gun and kill him." _

_The woman took the gun and opened the door. Before the door even closed all the way, the CIA heard the gun start firing, one shot after another, for 13 shots. Then they heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. This went on for several minutes, then all went quiet. The door opened slowly, and there stood the woman. _

_She wiped the sweat from her brow and said, "You guys didn't tell me the gun was loaded with blanks! I had to beat the S.O.B. to death with the chair!"_

Every one of the females laughed so hard a few of us had tears in our eyes. The guys, however, looked over at Emmett and shook their heads out of pity for my brother. We just laughed harder at that.

"You know I love you, Em. I couldn't kill you even if I wanted to." She grabbed his face and kissed him hard.

"Don't piss her off, Emmett!" someone yelled, causing us to laugh again.

We had almost gone around the entire circle by the time it was Leah's turn. We were still laughing over the joke Jacob had just told; I swear he could give Emmett a run for his money. It took us a few moments to get settled down. Leah was still laughing about it as she started her joke.

"So…" she tried to talk through her laughter, "this guy was drinking and driving…"

"NO!" Emmett yelled, sitting up a little as he stared intently at her. Silence fell on the group; all eyes bounced between Leah and Emmett. I know she didn't mean anything by it, but I wasn't prepared to hear a joke that started out like that, and apparently neither was Emmett. He lowered his voice, relaxed against Rosalie's touch, and spoke a little softer, "Pick another joke."

Her eyes widened in recognition and she turned to me. "I am so sorry, Bella… shit… I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," I told her with a sympathetic look. I could only imagine how embarrassed she must be feeling; it was truly an honest mistake.

"I wasn't thinking, I swear to God I wasn't thinking." She pleaded with her eyes.

"It's okay, just go ahead and tell a different one. I'm fine." I really was fine; I knew she didn't do it on purpose.

"I'm really sorry, Emmett."

"It's fine, just get on with your joke so we can get back to me." He gave her smile, trying to ease her mind and the game continued.

"Okay."

_A young couple, just married, were in their honeymoon suite on their wedding night. As they were undressing for bed, the husband - who was a big burly man, kinda like Jakey Poo here - tossed his trousers to his bride and said, "Here, put these on." _

_She put them on and the waist was twice the size of her body. _

_"I can't wear your trousers," she said. _

_"That's right," said the husband, "and don't you ever forget it. I'm the man who wears the pants in this family." _

_Not even blinking at his comment, she flipped him her panties and said, "Try these on." _

_He tried them on and found he could only get them on as far as his kneecaps. "Hell," he said. "I can't get into your panties!" _

_She replied, "That's right, and that's the way it's going to stay until your attitude changes."_

Emmett looked over at her and smiled. "_Nice_."

As the jokes kept coming, the more tired I got, I laughed and yawned at the same time, and James leaned over to say something.

"Here, lie down and put your head in my lap," he whispered on my neck, causing goose bumps to appear. I nodded my head and moved to lie down on his lap, but stopped when I noticed I still had Edward's hand.

I looked over at Edward and yawned. "I think I'm going to lie down, I'm starting to get tired,"I told him apologetically as I loosened my hold on his hand.

James grabbed a blanket nearby, folded it up as a pillow for me and placed it on his lap as I laid my head down. I snuggled right in as he draped an arm protectively around me. I straightened my legs out to get more comfortable and ended up kicking Edward.

"Sorry," I said to him and went to pull back my legs.

"Here, give me your legs," he said softly.

He calmly snatched hold of my feet and placed them in his lap. I felt him slide off my shoes and gently begin to massage my feet. At the same time, James started running his fingers through my hair, delicately combing his fingertips against my scalp, creating the most amazing sensation. I was in heaven and would have been asleep in seconds if it hadn't been for Rosalie.

"Hey, Bella," Rosalie called with that voice she uses when trying to be coy about something.

"Yea," I said through a yawn.

"Still practicing for that date coming up?" And then the bitch laughed.

I sucked in a lungful of air, completely mortified when I heard everyone around us laughing with her, James and Edward included. Leave it to Rosalie to embarrass the crap out of me.

Before I could truly react, I saw a flash go off and heard Alice giggle. I lifted my head up slightly and saw everyone had been looking at the three of us on the blanket.

I glanced back at Rosalie, wanting to wipe that smile off her face. I winked and rested my head back on James' lap, smiled deviously to myself, and blurted out for everyone to hear, "What makes you think I needed practice in the first place?" I had no idea what possessed me to say anything back, it just came out. I heard a few gasps and some people tried to cover their laugh up as a cough.

"Well played, Bella Swan." Rosalie clapped. "Well fucking played."

"You better have been joking, Sis." I laughed when I heard the seriousness in my brother's voice.

"I was, Emmett, jeez." He sighed in relief.

I listened to the conversation that flowed around me, only partaking when I was asked something. I was too comfortable to try and make any real effort in a conversation. Edward was doing wonders on my feet, and James' fingers released their magical powers on my head, sending me into a semi-coma.

I heard the girls discussing their plans for after prom and became a little saddened. I knew they wouldn't try to leave me out, but what would be the fun of going to a hotel and watching couples get it on? I sighed a little in James' lap, which did not go unnoticed by Alice.

"We reserved a room for you too, Bella," she said earnestly.

"Thank you, Alice, but I think I'm going to pass." I wasn't trying to be hurt anyone's feelings, but they had to know I wouldn't be comfortable there.

"Come on, Bella," my brother said. "It's going to be fun."

"Emmett, everyone will be in their own hotel room, celebrating this milestone in their lives, with their prom date." I lifted my head up so I could look in his eyes. I laughed a little as I saw his disappointed features but asked him, "Whose room would you like me to go into, Edward's or James'?"

He snapped his head back to gaze in the fire. "Point taken!"

"I wasn't thinking about that, Bella." Alice let out a frustrated sigh. "We're going to drink and talk and stuff too. Edward and James both had their own room; I wasn't assuming you'd shack up with someone, Bella. I wouldn't do that to you. "

"I know, but I'll feel more comfortable at home." I smiled reassuringly over at her. "I don't think one night away from the gang is going to kill me."

"Are you sure?" Rosalie asked softly. "This doesn't feel right without knowing you'll be there."

"It's not a big deal… trust me… I prefer to stay home."

"I love you, Bella," her tiny voice squeaked out.

"I love you too, Alice. Now let's talk about graduation."

The plan for graduation was a party/mini-concert at Esme's. When I said mini-concert, I meant _mini_-concert… a few guitars, a group of us, and casual singing. Carlisle and Esme had already agreed to have it there as long as everyone agreed to no alcohol, which was fine by me. The party was invitation only, per Alice's request; but she ordered a gazillion invites, so the whole senior class would be there, plus a few freshmen.

After the ceremony, people are to go home, do things with their families, and then arrive at Esme's around ten. She figured, give everyone a good hour to start showing up and mingle, and starting the concert at eleven-thirty should be fine.

As far I knew, Edward, Gavin, James and I would to be singing; however, if we find out more students from Forks are musically talented, then the more the merrier.

Alice had the graduation party completely under control, except for our song choices.

"Gavin, what are your songs you'll be singing?"

"I'm not sure yet. Edward and I still need to decide." Gavin and Edward sounded awesome singing together in Seattle and were doing it again for graduation.

"I'm pretty much open to anything," Edward said. "What are you singing, James?"

"I haven't actually narrowed them down yet."

"Are you guys serious?" Alice screeched. "Graduation is like, less than a month away. You've got to hurry up and choose. You'll have to come over and practice, there are time restraints, costume changes, hair and make-up, and what if you guys pick the same songs, what's going to happen then? You've got to give me something to work with, a name of one, a band you like…"

"Whoa, calm down, Pixie," Rose giggled out. Alice released the rest of her breath and sighed against Jasper's chest; everyone started laughing.

"Sorry," Alice sighed, "but do you think all of you will have a list by prom? That's the two-week mark."

We all agreed to choose our songs and hand a list over to Alice before prom, just to calm her, really. I already had mine picked out, and Edward and I had practiced my opening song, a few times. He would be playing piano, so I could concentrate on just singing the song I wrote.

I heard Leah and Alice squeal and opened my eyes to see Gavin had broken out the guitar and started to play.

_I'm just mad about Saffron  
Saffron's mad about me_

I heard a few people sing along with the words and I chuckled lightly; Gavin loved to goof around on his guitar.

_I'm just mad about Saffron  
She's just mad about me_

The entire group laughed and started singing louder when the chorus hit.

_They call me mellow yellow_

_(Quite rightly)  
They call me mellow yellow_

_(Quite rightly)_

"Bella, we're leaving Forks around ten, so be ready," Rosalie told me over the music.

"Okay," I said through a yawn and snuggled further into James' lap.

"Hey, Gavin?" I asked as he finished the song.

"Yea, Bella."

"Do you know any Otis Redding?" I asked with a smile, because I'd had him play this before.

"Sure thing, Bella." I loved his voice when he sang this song.

I felt James laugh as he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "What am I going to do with you?"

"What do you mean?" I smirked and ran my fingers over his hand that touched my cheek.

"You have no idea the effect you have on people," he breathed in my ear. _"You're too innocently beautiful."_ I wasn't sure if the last part was meant for me to hear or not, but I smiled at his comment and closed my eyes.

_Sittin' in the mornin' sun  
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come  
Watching the ships roll in  
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah_

_I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay  
Watching the tide roll away  
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay  
Wastin' time_

With the combination of Gavin's voice, James' fingers in my hair, and Edward's hands on my feet, I was asleep before the song finished. I wasn't sure how I got home or in bed, I wasn't even sure how I got into my pajamas. But I was positive it was too damn early for this pixie to have jumped on my bed and demanded me to get up.

"A few more minutes, Al…" I groaned into my pillow, trying to drown out her presence.

"It's almost time to leave, you need to hurry and shower. I'll have your clothes picked out and wait for you right here."

"Ugh." I rolled over. "You aren't leaving, are you?"

"Nope." She popped her "p" and smiled.

I tossed my pillow at her jumping form and made my way to the shower. Twenty minutes later, we were loaded in the Jeep and headed to Port Angeles.

"Why are we taking this and not your car?"

"We need the extra trunk space for our dresses, silly." Alice smiled at me and winked.

"Um, Rose," I said as I pointed to the sign. "We just missed our exit."

"We're going to Seattle, Bella." She looked at me as if I had three heads. "This is my final prom; we're going all-out on dresses."

"Okay, but," I shifted through the items in my purse, "I only brought $300 with me, Rose."

"Pshh." She waved her hand dismissively at me. "Emmett gave me your bank card."

"Crap," I grunted. I knew exactly what that meant. No holds barred. I was getting the works.

Both girls laughed and turned back towards the road talking about their plans for me.

Ten extremely long hours later, I climbed the stairs up to my room. The day had been one store after another until we walked into the perfect dress shop, according to Alice. They had her designers which they both loved. A dress is a dress if you ask me. I was fine with the first one I tried on. But, of course, it couldn't be that simple when it involved Rosalie and Alice… tag-teaming bitches.

I had to admit, but I would _never_ tell them, trying on those thirty dresses was totally worth it after I had found the one I ended up with. It was perfect. The minute I looked in the mirror, I knew I wanted this to be the dress I danced with James in. It was the most expensive item I had ever purchased, but when James saw me in it, I'd know it was worth every one of the five hundred and fifty dollars that I had spent.

The girls were proud of me and also shocked that I ended up spending the most money. I had to buy shoes, which they picked out, jewelry, which they picked out, and a purse, which they also picked out. And I wasn't bothered in the slightest; all I thought about was what James was going to say when he saw me in my dress.

I hung my dress in my closet, threw some pajamas on, and I crashed as soon as my head hit my pillow. Today had been a very long day, but it was completely worth it.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you think? Review please, Ienjoy reading everyone of them**

**Prom is up next... it'll either be a long chapter or two parts. Not sure yet, but it'll be yummy!**

**Also, my family always does the comdey hour at our reunions. **


	9. Chapter 9

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: So prom is here, this is a two parter. Hope you enjoy. **

********Minor tissue warning for the beginning of the story. ********

* * *

**BPOV**

**Prom Night**

"Bella!" Alice yelled for the fifth time.

"Fine!" I shouted back and threw my half-eaten candy bar down.

"I know you're nervous, but eating chocolate is only going to give you pimples," she sang out to me and tapped my forehead with her comb. I simply rolled my eyes.

"You know you have nothing to be worried about, right?" Rosalie joined in.

I swallowed the rest of the chocolate that was in my mouth and blew out a breath. "I know."

They'd told me at least ten times today that everything was going to be fine, that I was going to look so beautiful and I shouldn't worry. But then my over analytical brain went into over drive as my hair was being pulled, and I stared at my dress.

_What if I make a fool out of myself? What if I fall on my face trying to walk down the stairs? What if James hates the dress or thinks it's too ugly? Maybe I picked the wrong one. I should have just bought the purple one, or even the green one. Who am I kidding? There is no way I can pull off this dress; I don't have the boobs for it. Everyone at prom is going to laugh at me. I shouldn't even go. _An evil little pixie pulled me out of my inner monologue by a hard yank to my hair.

"Would you stop already, Bella?" Alice asked in a very exasperated voice. "You're going to chew your lip off."

I hadn't even noticed I had been chewing on my lip until she mentioned it. "Sorry." I sighed.

"You're going to be fine."

"I know. I'm just nervous. I've never been to anything like this. Not even a wedding. I've never had to really dress up for anything. The hair, the make-up, the gown… I didn't even wear a dress for homecoming. I just… I feel… I don't know… completely out of my element. Like I'm pretending to be someone else, " I confessed to them.

Rosalie stopped curling her hair and came around to look at me. "You are beautiful, Bella. You always have been. This person right here…" she tapped on my reflection in the mirror, "she's always been there, we just added a little make-up. Nothing about this person screams 'fake.'" She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, and I turned my head in to her for a hug.

"Thank you, Rose," I said quietly. "I'm sorry I'm being such a drama queen. I mean, for my first date, I get two guys to go to prom with and they are both hot. I'm nervous." I laughed out.

"Well, it's understandable, Bella." Alice laughed with me while she continued with my hair. She let my hair fall loosely down my back, grabbing pieces here and there to put more of a curl to them, which created more volume. She didn't weigh them down with hair spray, and it gave me a very natural look, which I was very grateful for.

By the time my hair was finished, we had close to an hour before it was time to put our dresses on. I sat on the bed as instructed by Alice and waited for the girls to put the finishing touches on their make-up. They both looked beautiful. I couldn't wait to see what we looked like completely finished.

Alice's black shiny hair had been slicked down, with the perfect amount of bangs on her forehead sweeping to the right side of her face. She looked very much Posh Spice. I always loved the spiky way she did her hair, but I hoped she'd wear this hairdo again. Her make-up was perfect as always; she chose purple-toned eye shadow to match her dress, and she used a very light pink lip gloss. She looked beautiful.

Rosalie's hair was done in a way I'd seen a hundred times, but tonight it looked like I was seeing it for the first time. Her blonde locks flowed down her back, curling only at the ends. It had a shine to it that made it look like silk. She had her bangs brushed to the side, held away from her face with a single jeweled bobby pin. Her make-up was flawless. She had created a smoky eye which caused her piercing blue orbs to pop; her cheekbones were lightly dusted with blush and her lips were painted with a deep red to match her dress. She looked like a model.

"You guys look gorgeous," I said to them as they approached me.

"So do you. Now, let's get these dresses on," they said in unison, and we all laughed.

"Knock, knock," Esme's voice rang from the door. "Would you guys like some help?"

"Yes, please," I told her. "Alice and Rosalie are pros, but I could use some help so they could get themselves ready."

"I'd be happy to help you, sweetie." She smiled and helped me pull my dress out of the bag. I heard her intake of breathe as she stared at it. "It's beautiful, Bella."

"Thank you."

"Wait till you see it on her, Mom."

_Mom… I wish my mom was here. _

I smiled at them both and began to put the very risqué undergarments on that Rosalie told me I had to wear tonight. They were black like my dress with very little material to support anything. Rosalie specifically chose these because they wouldn't leave any lines on my dress. The material was thin and would feel like I had no underwear on at all; but I hated thongs, so I knew I'd notice. My bra was strapless and gave my boobs a tiny lift to better fit my dress.

If it had been any other group of females in front of me, I would have been embarrassed; but we had been changing in front of each other for most of our lives, and I felt no shame. Alice and Rosalie were in even smaller sets than the one I had on, which made me feel a little better, but it didn't surprise me.

"Sweetie," Esme said softly. "Why don't you put your shoes on first before you step into it? That way, it won't drag on the floor too much."

"Okay," I said and went to grab my shoes. I saw Rosalie and Alice doing the same thing before I sat down to put them on. I had one heel, but I could not figure out how to do the strap. I tried three different ways but none of them worked. I saw Esme lean down and fasten the strap on my shoe.

"You put this piece behind and bring the other piece forward. The buckle meets here," she said softly and smiled. As I sat there and watched her fix my shoe, I grew incredibly sad. I couldn't help but think of my mom; she reminded me so much of her. Renee was always into girly things, and I know she would have loved to have been the one here helping me out for prom. I wish she were here. She'd be taking pictures of me and the girls getting ready, laughing at our ridiculous underwear, helping Esme fasten up my shoes. I had never given much thought about going to prom, but now that she was gone, I thought about all the things she'd be helping me with if she were still here. I hope she knew how much I appreciated her; I'd give anything for my mom to be the one helping me get ready for prom.

I hadn't even realized I had been crying until I saw a tear land on Esme's hand as she buckled my shoe.

Her soft eyes met mine, understanding instantly what I was thinking, and immediately she wrapped me in her warm arms, my face buried in her hair. I tried my best to stop the tears that fell on her shoulder, but they continued to come.

Esme whispered, "I miss her too."

I felt a few more arms enclose around me and sobbed even harder. I was destroying the beautiful job Rosalie did on my make-up and ruining Alice's gorgeous work she did on my hair.

"I'm… s-s-sorry, guys," I choked out between sobs.

"It's okay, Bella," they both said with broken voices.

"She should be here," I cried. I tightened my hold on Esme as I continued to cry. "She should be here with me. Why did she have to die? Why did they both have to die? I want her here with me so bad... Dad should be down there with Emmett... It's not fair!"

They continued to hold and try to soothe me while I cried and shouted at no one in particular.

"It's not fair!" I screamed, bringing both my hands up in fists. "It's not fucking fair!"

"I know, sweetie, I know." Esme wept.

"Let it out, Bella… you got to let it out." Rosalie cried with me as she held her face against my head. "You've been so strong for a long time now; you need to let it out. We're all here with you. Get it all out, honey."

"Argggg!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, holding Esme as tight as I could. "I wasn't ready for them to go… it's not fucking fair!" They all held on to me, not saying a word, as I screamed.

"Who fucking gets behind the wheel of a car drunk, especially that drunk? That fucking bastard robbed me of my parents, and for what? Because he couldn't wait for a stupid cab? If that asshole hadn't died too, I'd kill him. I swear to God, I'd fucking kill him all over if I could!"

I could hear everyone crying, but I couldn't stop; it felt good to yell and scream and just get this poison out of me. So I continued.

"Did you know that fucker had a blood alcohol level of .27 by the time they got him to the hospital? How many drinks does a person need before it clicks in their fucked up brains that driving isn't an option? This was some punk college kid with nothing to worry about. He never woke up to find out what he fucking took from me and my brother. He's never going to have to live with any consequences for what he did. That fucking asshole got off easy… and it's not fucking fair!" I screamed and screamed and screamed, until I had nothing left. I had no more tears or angry thoughts, only light trembles from my intense crying. I heard the door open and close and looked up to see Rosalie walking toward me with a glass of water. I hadn't even felt her leave.

"Here you go, Bella," she said softly. Taking the glass with shaky hands, I swallowed down the entire thing. It took a few moments to get my breathing back to normal and fully calmed down.

"Feel better, sweetie?" Esme asked as she smoothed some hair off my face. I nodded and turned to the girls.

"I am so sorry, I don't know what happened." My voice was still strained from screaming.

"Hey," Rosalie took my hands, "do not apologize. I have been waiting for that to happen."

"It felt good," I admitted.

"I'm glad," all three women spoke in unison and made me laugh. I brushed my hand through my hair and looked directly at Alice.

"Oh, my God, I am so sorry," I said, panicked. "Fuck, it's almost time to go and I ruined my hair and make-up."

"Pshh." Both she and Rosalie waved their hands in the air dismissively. "Waterproof mascara, baby. And your hair only needs to be brushed through. It's fine." I simply nodded my head to them and then turned back to look at Esme.

I gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thank you so much for everything, Esme. I love you." I heard her sniff and felt her hug me tighter.

"Don't start again or we'll never get out of here," Alice teased.

"I love you, too."

"Aright," Rosalie shouted and clapped her hands. "Let's try this again."

I laughed at her and sat in the chair so Alice could fix my hair and touch up my eye-shadow. It only took a few minutes and I was back to getting in my dress.

Esme helped maneuver the dress so I could climb in without stepping on it. The dress was black form-fitting satin with a square neck line and vertical rueching in the bust. The material hugged my hips nicely and continued hugging my legs until around my knees, where the dress flowed away from my body slightly, creating a mermaid fit. The straps at the top were connected to the bust by a quarter-size ring covered with sparkling diamonds. They twisted somewhat as they went over my shoulders and then smoothed out to join the low back of my dress by another diamond ring forming a large V. The place where the straps had connected to flowed down my back as a small train hiding the tiny zipper.

"Oh my gosh, Bella," Esme gasped as I turned to face her. "You look stunning!"

I blushed from the compliment and smiled. "Thank you, Esme."

"Okay, let's get your jewelry on."

I held out my jewelry box that contained the matching set of earrings, necklace and bracelet. I placed the diamond studs in my ears but opted out of the necklace; with my luck, I'd choke myself within the first hour. I kept the beautiful diamond bracelet, and Esme fastened it on my left wrist. It was a little under half an inch thick and fully covered in diamonds. Rosalie knew a guy, who knew a guy, who got us a great deal on them in Seattle.

"There." Esme clapped her hands and gave me the biggest smile.

I was completely amazed and almost teared up when I saw myself in the mirror. I looked beautiful. Everything came together perfectly; the natural look to my hair, the light make-up, the shininess of the jewels, and the black fabric created a porcelain affect to my skin.

"Wow." Those were the only words I could say to describe what I saw in the mirror. For once, I didn't feel out of place standing next to Alice and Rosalie.

"Wow is right, Bella," Alice said as she approached the mirror on my left, Rosalie on my right.

"You two look incredible."

Rosalie's dress made her look like a goddess. It was deep red and flattered her figure and skin, long taffeta fabric which highlighted a rueched strapless bodice with bow accent, with a gathered torso. The dress fell to the floor and cascaded down to a small train in the back. She had on a bracelet similar to mine except it had three pieces connected together. Her earrings were tear drop diamonds, hanging perfectly off her ears. She pulled part of her hair behind her back, leaving the side with the bobby pin to flow down her front, resembling a 60's pin-up girl.

Alice needed to be on a cover of a fashion magazine. Her hair and make-up combined with her dress was unbelievable. The strapless sequin bodice and deep open back showed off her personal style to a "T." She picked out a multi-colored, layered tulle skirt which fell a little below mid thigh length. There was a wide fuchsia waistband featuring a deep floral accent that was off to the left. The top layer of the skirt matched the color of the sequins on the bodice, with thin black tulle over fuchsia material which overlaid sky blue material and flared on the ends, creating movement to the skirt. The dress worked and Alice pulled it off fantastically.

"You girls are gorgeous. I can't say it enough." Esme squealed as she snapped photos of the three of us. "I think it's time to go and meet with your dates, ladies."

Cue the butterflies.

_Don't fall on your face. Don't fall on your face._

I heard laughing and looked at the girls in front of me. "You're not going to fall on your face." Rosalie snorted.

"I didn't mean to say it out loud." I laughed with her.

"You'll be fine. Let's go."

I heard Esme tell the boys that we were ready and looked over at Rosalie, trying to control my nerves.

"Bella, look behind you." Rosalie pointed over my head.

I met my own eyes as she rested her hand on my shoulder.

"You are beautiful. There is nothing to worry about. You have two _very_ attractive guys waiting for you downstairs who will catch you before you even fall." She smiled at me, and I shook my head in agreement.

"I know. I'm alright."

We turned and headed back to the door. She walked out first, and I took a few deep breaths before I stepped into the hallway and walked to the stairs.

I could see Alice and Jasper hugging each other by the door and could tell Rosalie was almost to the bottom of the stairs. My brother's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his face as he watched his beautiful girlfriend approach him. He was obviously pleased.

As I made it to the top of the stairs, I reached out for the railing with my right hand and used my left hand to gently lift my dress enough to prevent me from tripping.

_Here goes nothing._

**James POV**

Oh my God…

It felt as if my heart stopped beating and time itself ceased to exist. I heard no sound around me; the people standing next to me seemed to vanish. All I could focus on was the divine creature who held onto the railing as she started her descent on the stairs.

She was absolutely breathtaking.

Those were the only words to describe the apparition in front of me. My mouth went dry and it became extremely hard to swallow the lump that formed in my throat. I only remembered to breathe when I became aware of Edward standing next to me. I heard the intake of his breath and I knew he was looking at the beauty before me.

_Mine_. I wanted to growl at him. I wanted to snap his neck and run off with her into the night. No one should be looking at her this way except me.

On my birthday, when I asked her to prom, I was on cloud fucking nine. I couldn't believe how easy her brother made it. Emmett thanked me later that night; he assumed I was doing it to help save his ass. He thought I made everything up so Bella wouldn't be mad at him. But I could have killed that motherfucker when he suggested Edward come as a double date. He honestly believed there was nothing to worry about with Edward; I knew different. I saw the way that asshole looked at her. I watched his hands grab on to her every chance he got. There was nothing I could do other than put a smile on my face and go along with it; I couldn't rip his hands off her and beat his ass without hurting Bella. But fuck if I didn't want to… God, did I want to.

Bella made me realize when we were in Seattle how much I hurt her when I got jealous, and I never wanted to hurt her. She's my angel and I'd do anything for her. It's hard as fuck to do nothing when I see guys checking her out, but I keep my mouth shut for her. It doesn't stop me from wanting to bash their fucking heads in, though. She's mine.

My need to protect her kept growing the closer she got to the bottom of the stairs. In just a few minutes, we would be in a gym full of horny-ass guys ready to take advantage of her. I'd fucking kill them if they tried anything.

_I can't let her out of my sight_, my mind said.

"I'm right there with you, James."

I realized I must have spoken out loud and I turned to look at Edward, but he was not looking at me. His eyes were transfixed on the stunning young woman wearing the black dress, walking down the stairs. My hands tightened into fists at my sides when I watched him walk over and help her with the last step. It took every last bit of my restraint not to scoop her up in my arms and declare my love for her, in front of all her family. I wanted to let them know she belonged to me, but I knew I couldn't… No one could know about our relationship yet. All I could do was admire my lovely from a distance and try to remember it was me that was with her at night.

He held her hand and looked her up and down; I could tell his eyes tried to absorb her every feature.

"Bella… you look incredible," he told her. She smiled up at him, giving her thanks, and then her eyes sought out mine, which caused my face to erupt in a massive smile despite my body wanting to kill Edward.

I walked up to her slowly, letting my eyes roam over her beautiful body. I grabbed onto her left hand and brought it to my lips.

"You look stunning, Bella."

"Thank you, James." Her cheeks gave away her excitement. "You look very handsome." I smiled and reluctantly let go of her hand. She turned toward Edward and smiled. "You look very handsome, too."

It was definitely going to be a challenge for me to control my jealousy, but it needed to be done. We'd only be at the dance for a few hours before everyone left for Port Angeles. I could last a few hours. And if everything went according to my plan, they'd be miles away by the time Bella and I would be enjoying the surprise I had for her. It would all be worth it. I needed to bite my tongue, play nice, and keep my angel happy.

**BPOV**

Damn, these boys were hot. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been checking out Edward a little during our picture taking. But who could blame me? He looked hot as hell in a tuxedo. As hot as I thought Edward was, he was nothing compared to James. He was drop dead gorgeous, and for once in my life, I welcomed every picture Esme snapped.

She must have taken at least forty with me in different areas of the house, on the stairs, by the fireplace, by the window. She had me posing by myself, posing with Edward, with James, with Edward and James, with only the girls. She took a lot of group shots too, and I didn't object once. I wanted as many pictures as I could get of me and James. When pictures were finished, we loaded into the limo and made our way to prom.

Carlisle and Esme didn't want anyone driving that far in the dark and paid for the limo to stay and drive everyone to Port Angeles after prom. I still chose to not go with them, so I'd be dropped off on their way out of town.

When we made it inside of the gym, my mouth dropped open. "Holy cow, Alice. This looks great!"

"Thank you." She clapped her hands and walked further into the gym.

She had really transformed this place. Everything was covered from top to bottom. She even got the school to remove the basketball hoops. Purple, silver and black decorations were everywhere. There was a DJ over to the far side of the room set up on a mini stage she made for him. Tables and chairs outlined the dance floor; there was an insane amount of food and drinks along one wall. It looked really beautiful in here.

Edward and James walked me to our table and sat down on either side of me. Rosalie, Alice and I were commenting on how cute a lot of the girls looked, when James stood up and held his hand out for me.

"Would you like to dance, Bella?" he asked me in the sexiest voice I had ever heard.

"Yea," I struggled to say as I took his hand and he guided me to the floor.

_Tonight I'm tangled in my blanket of clouds  
Dreaming aloud_

_Things just won't do without you, matter of fact  
I'm on your back, I'm on your back, I'm on your back_

His left hand wrapped around my right hand as his other arm drew my body up against his and held me tightly. My left hand slid up his arm and rested on top of his right shoulder, my thumb sweeping the side of his neck. The heels created enough height to where my forehead head rested perfectly against his cheek. He smelled really good, but he felt even better. I could stay this way all night.

"You look really beautiful, Bella," he whispered against my cheek.

"Thank you, James."

"I don't want to let you go." He squeezed me tightly. "I don't want to watch you dance with anyone else, baby."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "Maybe you could just keep me dancing all night, problem solved," I suggested with a tiny laugh.

"I know you need to dance with Edward, and I know other guys are going to want to dance with you too. I hate that I have to share you tonight."

He sounded so sad when he spoke, I lifted my head away so I could look at him; he looked away.

"James, look at me."

His eyes slowly looked at me; my thumb started rubbing small circles along the skin above his collar and I smiled at him.

"You're not sharing anything. I am yours, always. It's only a couple dances." I felt him exhale deeply, and a small smile appeared on his face. "I can always use the old 'my feet hurt' excuse and not dance at all." He shook his head and laughed with me.

"No, baby, you dance all night. Do you hear me? I want you to have fun."

"I am having fun, baby."

_If you'd accept surrender,  
I'll give up some more  
Weren't you adored _

_I cannot be without you,  
matter of fact  
I'm on your back _

_If you walk out on me  
I'm walking after you  
If you walk out on me  
I'm walking after you _

_Another heart is cracked in two  
I'm on your back _

_I cannot be without you,  
matter of fact  
I'm on your back _

"I'm not going to stay as long as everyone else," James said as we continued to dance into the next song.

I pulled back to look at him and furrowed my brow. "What? Why?"

His thumb smoothed the wrinkles on my forehead and he spoke softly.

"I have to help my aunt tonight. I promised her I wouldn't be out too late."

"Really? Well, I can leave with you. You can drop me off on your way," I suggested. I didn't want to be here without him anyway.

"No, I want you to stay here and have fun, sweetie."

"I don't really want to be here without you, James," I admitted as we stared at each other.

"I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now, little girl. As happy as that makes me hearing you say that, I want you to stay and have fun." He smiled big before he rested his head against my cheek.

"OK, James."

Before the song had finished, I heard someone clear their throat. I turned to my right and saw Edward standing there smiling at me.

"I believe it's my turn, James," Edward teased.

I laughed and slapped his arm playfully. "Shut up."

James dropped his arm from my waist slowly—I missed his body heat instantly—and he backed away.

"Thank you for the dance, Bella." He smiled.

"You're welcome."

Edward took my hand and placed our bodies in the exact way James and I had been dancing. It felt a little strange to be in this position with Edward. I knew James held me this tightly because he was my boyfriend and we needed the contact, but I couldn't understand why Edward wanted to be this close to me. I stopped over thinking it and simply shrugged it off.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Bella," he whispered in my ear.

"Thank you."

The song ended quickly, and I removed my hands so I could leave. Edward grabbed my hand back and looked at me with a very devilish smile.

"Nu uh, Bella."

"The song's over, Edward." I laughed at his little boy face.

"This wasn't the song I requested."

"What do mean 'requested'?" I eyed him skeptically.

"How 'bout we put our dance lessons to use." And the fucker winked at me. We had taken dance lessons together since I was little. Mom and Esme made sure to keep us kids active and insisted on dance or ballet. Alice chose ballet, Edward and I chose dance lessons. Emmett was exempt because he always managed to hurt people; he didn't mean to be so rough, he just couldn't help it.

"What did you do, Edward?"

"I requested a little Michael Buble," he said as he looked at me through his lashes, trying to play innocent. That was my favorite song to dance to and Edward knew it.

"I can't believe you." I put my hand over my face and I groaned knowing there was no way out of it.

"Come on, Bella." He tugged me to the center of the dance floor. "Let's show them how it's done."

"Yea, because I just love attention," I snapped at him sarcastically. Before I could object any further, the song started. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist tightly, placed his hand in mine, and began to lead.

_When marimba rhythms start to play  
Dance with me, make me sway  
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore  
Hold me close, sway me more_

Edward moved us around the floor effortlessly, and my early frustration was replaced with smiles and laughs as he spun me throughout the song. We danced to this song better than the instructor had during our lessons, and we hadn't lost our touch.

_I can hear the sounds of violins  
Long before it begins  
Make me thrill as only you know how  
Sway me smooth, sway me now_

_Other dancers may be on the floor  
Dear, but my eyes will see only you  
Only you have the magic technique  
When we sway I go weak_

Our feet moved quickly around the floor, Edward guiding me around in circles. His arms would push my body away, then pull me back, and my feet twirled me into his arms. We laughed and smiled as we danced, everyone around us forgotten. As the song paused before the last verse, so did Edward as he dipped my body in front of him, my hair falling to the floor, snapping me back into place the very moment the verse started again.

_When marimba start to play  
When you're close make me sway  
Like an ocean hugs the shore,  
hold me close sway me more  
Like a flower bending in the breeze,  
bend with me, sway with ease  
When we dance you have a way with me  
Stay with me, sway with me_

We jerked our bodies to a standstill as the music ended, breathing heavily from our movements. His smile was endless, and I returned one just as big. He threw his arms around me for a hug as the entire room applauded.

"You were great," he said breathlessly in my ear.

"Thank you so much, Edward. That was fun."

"Should we bow?" he asked me as he wiggled his eyebrows.

I laughed and told him to go for it. Of course, being the Edward that he was, he soaked that shit up. I just wanted to find James. I made it a few steps toward the table when James literally ran into me.

"Hey," I said as I looked up at him.

He smiled back at me, grabbed my hand, and twirled me into him. "You've been holding out on me," he said jokingly. James apparently knew his way around the dance floor also, and we made quick work of his skills as a faster song began to play.

We danced a few more times before we had been pulled out of our bubble. Ryan tapped James on the shoulder and asked if he could cut in. James nodded and told me he'd see me in a little bit.

"You look very pretty tonight, Bella," Ryan told me as we started to dance.

I blushed and told him that he looked nice too. He did, actually. A little too nice. I don't know what it was, but every guy seemed to look good in a tuxedo. It didn't help matters that Ryan looked like Colin Farrell, his dark eyes and dark hair added with the tuxedo was driving me crazy. I would never cheat on James, but I had to give credit where credit was due. He was fucking hot.

"Are you going to Port Angeles after prom?"

I shook my head. "I didn't really want to go up there and watch people make out, ya know?"

"Not everyone going up there is bringing someone; you would have had me to talk to."

"I appreciate that, but I'll feel more comfortable at home."

"Well," Ryan breathed out heavily. "If you change your mind and go, come and find me. I'd really like to talk with you."

"I will, but I'm pretty sure I won't be changing my mind."

"Do you want to get something to drink?" Ryan asked me as the song finished.

"Yes," I said, suddenly realizing how thirsty I was. "I haven't had a break since I got here."

I walked over and sat at the empty table, watching my friends on the dance floor while I waited for Ryan to bring me something to drink.

"Hi, Bella."

I turned to see who called me and found Gavin sitting in the chair next to me.

"Hey." I smiled at him. Man, he looks good too. I guess I have a fetish for men in tuxedos.

"Are you having fun?"

"Yea, I am, surprisingly." I snorted.

"You look really beautiful out there dancing."

"Thank you." I felt my face heating up.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked me kindly.

"Sure, but do you think we could sit for a minute? Ryan's getting me something to drink and I needed to rest for a few," I told him sympathetically. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I needed to sit.

"I don't mind at all. Can I keep you company?"

"Yea, I'd like that."

Ryan joined us shortly after and we sat around the table talking about school and their plans for college. I was really starting to like both of them as friends. They were very nice and extremely funny. Rosalie and Emmett sat down at the end of a song and joined in the conversation. We were sitting around laughing and talking when one of Emmett's favorite songs came on.

_Peace up!  
A Town Down!_

"Come on, babe," Emmett yelled to Rosalie and pulled her to her feet.

"Bella, if he's making me dance to this rap shit, you better get out here too."

"Babe, it's Usher… and all I have to say is 'Yeah.'" He did his best imitation of Lil' Jon.

I looked at Gavin and asked him if he wanted to dance to this song.

"Bella, don't you know this is my jam?" He used a gangster accent and popped the collar on his tuxedo and grabbed my hand. I couldn't help but laugh because it was the funniest shit he had ever done.

I was blown away when we got to the dance floor. Gavin could dance. We moved together perfectly; we weren't "freak dancing" but dancing. I knew how to hip hop dance and was glad Gavin was my partner. The entire song, we moved together, and he didn't try to grind on me or play dirty like a lot of the guys were doing on the dance floor. When Sean Paul's "Temperature" started up, I kept dancing with him; we were having a lot of fun.

Everyone around us screamed and jumped into formation when "Thriller" came through the speakers. "Please tell me you know how to do this dance?" Gavin asked me jokingly.

"Of course," I joked back and flipped my hair off to the side. I looked over and saw Edward and James coming towards us with evil looks in their eyes.

"Uh, Gavin…" I tugged on his sleeve. "I think our time is up." I laughed and pointed at my "dates" heading for us.

"Find me before the night is over. I'd like to have a slow song."

"OK." I smiled and thanked him for the dances.

"Hello, boys. Where have you been?" I faked annoyance.

"We thought it was only fair to allow other people a dance or two," Edward said, and James shrugged his shoulders. Edward stood on my left and James stood on my right, and we started to do the famous thriller dance.

_It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in the dark  
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart_

The entire gym danced to the song. Everyone around was laughing and out of breath by the time it was over. Edward offered to grab me a drink, but I told him I'd walk with him. I sat out the next few dances and tried to find where James had gone. I didn't see him anywhere in the gym, and I hoped he hadn't left without telling me goodbye. I didn't have time to get sad at that thought, because he was in front of me holding out his hand.

"Dance with me, Bella."

I smiled and let him lead me to the floor.

"I wanted this to be the last song we danced to. I have to take off, and I want you to listen to the words. I always think of you when I hear it." His eyes were so emotional they took my breath away. He held me close and stared into my eyes the entire song.

_You need a friend I'll be around  
Don't let this end Before I see you again  
What can I say to convince you  
To change your mind of me? _

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone  
I'm gonna hold you closer than before  
And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free  
I'll be free for you anytime  
I'm gonna love you more than anyone_

_Look in my eyes, what do you see?  
Not just the color  
Look inside of me  
Tell me all you need and I will try  
I will try _

As the song played on, he never broke eye contact. The way he looked at me as I listened to the words was the most powerful experience. If I had any doubts of his love for me before tonight, they were crushed to dust as he sang the last verse of the song to me.

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _

_I'm gonna hold you closer than before _

_And when I kiss your soul, your body'll be free _

_I'll be free for you anytime _

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone _

_I'm gonna love you more than anyone_

I tried to control my emotions, but a single tear had made its way to my cheek. James softly brushed it away and smiled.

"I love you, Bella. I want you to have fun, and I will see you in the morning, okay?"

"I don't want you to leave without me," I whispered.

"I know, baby, but I need to."

I nodded my head because I knew he needed to help his aunt. "Call me as soon as you wake up, James. Even if it's five in the morning."

"I will baby." He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and walked me back to the table. "I'll see you guys later, I got to head out," he told our group and then turned to me. "You look stunning, Bella." Then he left.

I tried to not let my disappointment show when I joined in the conversation with my friends; they were planning to leave in an hour for Port Angeles. We talked for a few minutes and then got up to dance. I was politely passed between several people the remainder of the night. I made sure to dance with Connor, Drew and Alec, since my brother did kind of screw them over when they wanted to take me to prom. The rest of the dances were with Edward and the girls.

Rose and Emmett won king and queen… surprise, surprise… and looked fabulous dancing together with their crowns. Rosalie looked the happiest I had ever seen her, and my brother never removed his eyes from her. It was extremely moving to watch them together. Around midnight, we loaded up into the limo. Eight other people had joined us and I found myself sitting on Edward's lap. We were crammed together, making sure to fit as many people in as we could.

As we sat there waiting for people to keep piling in and getting adjusted, I suddenly became exhausted and laid my back against Edward and stared out the window. Tonight had been a lot of fun. I didn't think I had ever danced that much at one time before. It surprised me that I managed to do it with heels on.

It was great being able to dance with James. Having him hold me close without us getting screamed at by my brother was wonderful. He felt so warm when he was dancing with me. The look on his face as he sang the last song to me was something I would never forget. I saw in his eyes every bit of his love for me; I heard in his voice every bit of his love. That man loved me, and I couldn't wait for the day we wouldn't have to hide anymore. The day he'd be able to kiss me and hold my hand in front of people. That thought made me sigh, and I looked down at my lap.

I didn't know when it happened, but my fingers were intertwined with Edward's and he had his lips lightly pressed against my bare shoulder. His thumb on his right hand drew small circles on my fingers; his arm was draped over my shoulders and he danced his fingers lightly over the skin on my wrist.

It was always natural for us to be this affectionate towards each other. He made me feel safe. He was like my brother, and he probably wasn't even aware he had been doing it. I wanted to tell him sorry; last thing he needed was for me to be cramping his style. I smiled and turned my head to face him.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly and nodded to our fingers. "I didn't even realize I did that." As I went to pull my fingers free, he tightened his hold on me, not allowing me to move. I scrunched up my face, being slightly confused.

"You look beautiful, Bella," he breathed against my face.

"Thank you," I whispered. His eyes continued to stare into mine, moving every now and then to blink. I felt his arm pull me closer against him and watched as his eyes glazed over. I had never seen Edward look this way at me. It wasn't the look a person gets from their brother; these weren't touches you give to your sister. These were different; he looked at me the same way Ryan had looked at me when he asked me out. He touched me the same way James did when we were by ourselves. But it didn't make sense. Why would Edward be looking at me like this? I was just a little sister to him. There's no way he had any other type of feelings for me.

"Bella, were here." My brother's voice snapped me away from my thoughts and forced me to look away from Edward's intense gaze.

"Good night, guys. Have fun," I yelled to everyone in the limo and then looked at my bother. "Be safe, Em."

"I will, Belly Bear. You be safe too."

"I will. Love you." I opened the door and stepped outside.

"Do you want me to walk you to your door?" Edward asked quietly.

"No, I'm fine. Have fun," I said. "Thank you for taking me to prom, Edward. I had a lot of fun." I smiled at him and walked towards my house.

"Bella." I turned slightly when he called after me. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I stood there waiting for him to talk, but he kept looking at me, saying nothing. This was really weird; Edward was not acting right.

"Are you okay, Edward? What's wrong?"

He nodded and once again tried to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, he sighed and looked up at the sky before meeting my eyes again. "Nothing….You look really pretty tonight and I just wanted to let you know." He ran his hand through his hair and shrugged his shoulders.

I laughed at his behavior and shrugged my shoulders too. "OK, well, good night, and be safe."

I felt him watching me as I made it to the front door. He acted so weird, but maybe he felt guilty for leaving me since I was technically his date. I smiled to myself and knew that's what it was. That's the type of person Edward was; he was afraid of hurting my feelings. What a dummy. I turned and waved to the limo as I opened my door. Emmett stuck his head out the moonroof and screamed at the top of his lungs for our neighbors and God to hear, "And don't order any porn while I'm gone!" Then he laughed his ass off.

I shut the door and thumped my head against the wood. Fuckin' Emmett… he loved to embarrass me. I pulled away from the door and turned to climb up the stairs.

"Hello, Bella."

"Ahhhhhhh!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, until I noticed who it was. "Why do you always fucking scare me?"

"I'm sorry, baby." James laughed and wrapped me in his arms.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him and snuggled into his chest.

"I have a surprise for you," he told me and pulled back to hand me a rose.

"Thank you," I said as I smelled the rose.

"You're welcome, but this wasn't your surprise. Come with me." James held my hand and walked me up the stairs. I smelled something burning and tried to ask him what was going on, when he opened my bedroom door and walked me inside.

"James… what did you do?"

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**A/N: So what'd ya think of prom? Please review...**

**This is a two parter and i should have the second half up tomorrow or Sunday. **

**Leave me some love**

Songs I used:

Foo Fighters - walking after you - acoustic version

Michael Buble - Sway - my favorite song to dance too

Usher - Yeah

Sean Paul - Temperature

Michael Jackson - Thriller

Gavin DeGraw - More than anyone


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading ****and a big hug to those leaving reviews. **

**I had to rewriteit a few times, it just wasn't coming out the way i wanted it too. **

**For those of you who love James, you're going to be extremely happy with this chapter.**

**I even feel in love with him for a minute.**

**Also the song he sings to her is one of my favorites **

_**Amos Lee - Arms of a woman. **_

**I recommend you listen to the song as you read it in the story.**

**enjoy...**

**Punky Bumpkin.. you flippin' rock! Thank you so much for your mad skills. **

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**BPOV**

I covered my mouth in surprise as I took in the scene before me. James had lit tiny candles and scattered them throughout my bedroom, producing a soft glow which reflected off the walls and ceiling, creating a very romantic atmosphere. A dozen roses were placed on my dresser and both night tables. The comforter on my bed had been pulled back, revealing the rose petals that he laid out in the shape of a heart on my sheet. This was the sweetest thing I had ever seen.

"I wanted to do something nice for you, baby," he whispered against my neck as he wrapped his arms around my middle and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, James."

"I wanted to show you I loved you and thought we could spend the night together without having to worry about anyone catching us. We don't… I mean, you don't… umm… I wasn't trying to force you… I mean… "

Before he could say anything else, I turned myself in his arms so I was facing him and kissed him with everything I had. Our lips opened together, allowing our tongues to clash and battle in our mouths. My hands tangled in his hair, pushing him further into me. His arms tightened around me and he pulled my body against his, allowing me the pleasure of feeling his erection pressed into my belly. I wanted more of him. I needed more of him.

My hands went to his tuxedo jacket and quickly tugged it off his shoulders. He removed his hands from me only long enough to get his jacket off. I rubbed my hands up the length of his chest as I pulled his shirt from his pants. I felt James moan in my mouth and tighten his grip on the back of my neck as my fingers made contact with his bare skin near his collar. His skin was like fire against my hands, and all I could think about was that I wanted to see it, to feel more of it. I made fast work of the buttons and his shirt was soon yanked off his arms and onto the floor, breaking our kisses momentarily. James removed his mouth from mine and began planting kisses along my neck as my hands started to stroke the muscles on his chest. Man, the guy was built. I loved the way my fingers looked as they slid over his form. My fingers reached his pants, curling around the belt loops, and I pulled back to look in his eyes.

His lust-filled baby blues were dilated and glazed over and his breathing was coming out heavy. He stared at me with so much love and want, it took my breath away. There was no doubt how much this man loved me, and I wanted to give him every piece of me. We stood staring at each other for minutes, maybe hours, who knows, until my fingers leisurely unbuttoned his pants. James' eyes grew big and his mouth parted slightly as he inhaled deeply.

"I'm ready, James."

"Are you sure, baby?" he croaked out. "We don't have to."

I kissed him once and pulled back. "I'm sure." And I really was. I wanted James to have something I could never give to anyone else.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered and brought his hands to my face and kissed me deeply. The kiss heated up fast and it took me a minute to compose myself enough to remove his pants. He kicked off his shoes while I pushed his pants down his legs, and he swiftly stepped out of them. He stood in his boxers and walked us to the bed, never breaking his kiss. I felt his body hit the edge of the mattress and he pulled away from me to sit down.

"How do you get out of this?" he asked and motioned at my dress.

I gave a small chuckle and turned around, lifting the train to reveal the zipper. I felt his hands tremble as he slowly slid the zipper down and started to undress me. His fingers were warm and gentle as he slid the straps of my dress over my shoulders and lightly ghosted his hands down my bare skin. His touch was electrifying and caused my stomach to tingle. He kissed the skin above my bra as the dress moved below my breasts. His hands gently grabbed my waist as the dress fell to my hips. James moved his hands to my lower back, stretched out his fingers, and started to ghost his palms down onto my ass, helping the dress fall off my body. I moaned the instant I felt his hands cup my cheeks and his tongue circle my belly button.

His hands moved to the back of my knees and he assisted me in stepping out of the dress one leg at a time, all the while caressing my stomach with his tongue and lips. When I was out of the dress, he pulled back from me to throw the dress to the side.

"My God, you're beautiful," he gasped. His hands came back to behind my knees, motioning me to bring my foot up and place it between his thighs on the bed in order to unbuckle my shoes. He caressed my calves and feet the same way he caressed my stomach earlier; his breath warmed my entire body and had my heart beating so loud, I swear he could hear it.

When he finished with my shoes, he sat up fully on the bed, which brought his head directly in front of my breasts. I felt him blow air against my skin and immediately felt a rush of heat between my legs. The tingling sensation his hands caused me as he removed my bra had me moaning out loudly, but I was too worked up to be embarrassed. There were only two pieces of clothing that separated us. I wasn't going to over think anything tonight; I only wanted to feel, and James was stirring up sensations I had only read about.

His hands cupped my breasts and he rubbed his thumbs lightly over my nipples as he alternated between kissing and licking my body. My hands reached out to grab on to his shoulders as one of his hands trailed down to the front of my panties. I needed him to touch me there; my center was throbbing and dripping wet with anticipation of what was going to happen. His fingers gently rubbed over the fabric covering my sex and my body involuntarily bucked against his touch.

"Oh God," I murmured. "Please, James," I begged him quietly.

"What, baby? I'll give you anything you want," he whispered in between his assault on my nipples.

"I'm ready. Make love to me." James hesitated briefly, and we looked at each other for a moment before he scooted us to the top of the bed and laid me beneath him. He slowly kissed his way up to my chin until his lips hovered right over mine, barely touching. Every breath I took in was one he exhaled. Every breath I let out was one he inhaled. This tiny act was extremely erotic and my breathing came heavier and heavier. His lips touched my slightly parted mouth at the same time that his chest pressed down onto my naked breasts and his wonderfully hard stomach muscles pressed onto my belly.

He cupped my whole breast, massaging it violently and drawing out constant moans which vibrated in his mouth and added a whole new dimension to our passionate kissing. The hand that wasn't occupied fell to my hip and started to explore the soft, bare skin that was now exposed to him; his fingers danced over it time and time again.

My hands abandoned their place on his body and I helped him by lifting my hips slightly so he could remove the tiny piece of lace that covered my sex. Our kissing increased as I took the last step and slid his boxers over his hips. I could feel the tension that was screaming through all his muscles before he pulled back to stare at me.

"What is it, James?"

He sighed softly. "I want to make love to you so bad, Bella… but I don't want you to give up your innocence either. That's one of the things I love about you. I feel like I'm robbing it."

I smiled and kissed him over and over again.

"You're not robbing anything. I'm giving this to you," I whispered and ran my thumb over his cheek. He kissed my lips softly and then reached down to his pants and removed a condom he had in his back pocket. Ripping open the package, he slowly slid it on and lay back down. My breathing was starting to quicken, but not from fear, from the excitement of it all. I wanted to give him my virginity and it was about to happen.

I felt his length brush against my core and tiny shivers spread throughout my body. My fingers were tingling and my legs began to quiver. James pulled back once more to watch my face as he slowly pressed himself against me. My tight walls stretched to their limit as they tried to accommodate his huge size. It was a little uncomfortable, but I wanted this. I wanted him to be the one. I was going to give James something that I could never get back, and the look in his eyes told me he was always going to treasure my gift. The process of him sliding into me seemed to take ages, but neither of us looked away. When he reached my barrier, both of us gasped.

James held my face and kissed me with all the love he had in him.

"I'm okay," I breathed out shakily. Letting my nerves come to the surface for the first time since we entered my room. I was trying to be so brave for him; I didn't want him to stop if he knew it was hurting, but he felt it and pulled back to look at me. "I'm okay." I tried to sound more relaxed.

"I'm so sorry, baby, I'll try to be as gentle as I can. The last thing I ever wanted to do was cause you pain," he said tenderly.

"This was inevitable, James, and I know you don't want to hurt me." I tried to smile and reassure him even though my body was shaking.

"It'll only hurt for a minute..." He kissed my lips softly. "I'm so sorry."

He continued to lay kisses across my face, trying to help settle my nerves. He waited just a few moments before he moved his hips slightly and thrust through my wall. Pain like I had never felt struck my insides, and I had to bite his shoulder to not cry out. He ran his hands through my hair comfortingly as I worked through the pain.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered in between the kisses he rained on my face, his thumbs rubbing away the few tears that managed to escape my lids.

Shaking slightly, I kissed him and he started to move. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and tried to breathe through the burning sensation that was coming from where our bodies were joined. I didn't know if it was supposed to hurt that bad or if he was just really big; there was no one to ask without word getting back to Emmett, so I came into it a little unprepared. I didn't regret my decision at all, and after awhile, the burning went away and it started to feel really good. The tingling sensation started in my spine and multiplied as it made its way to my core. I could feel every bit of James' length stretching my walls and it created the most amazing sensation. On one particularly well-aimed thrust by James, I lost all ability to think and my head lolled to the side. I almost passed out.

Gently, his hand went to the side of my face and tilted it back so he could kiss me. I returned the kiss and felt my body start to move with his. It was a totally different experience, and I could barely believe the feelings that were coursing through me. My hands ran up and down his back before settling in his hair, pulling him closer.

"God, Bella, you feel so fucking good," he groaned out as he continued to pump his body in and out of me.

I moaned at the sound of his voice; my heart started to beat faster and I felt my body grow incredibly warm. My hands began to tighten in his hair and my toes began to curl under. I felt my legs start to tremble, and as the sensation kept building in my core, I arched my back, bringing my chest in contact with James'.

My orgasm hit and my body jerked as the pleasure became too intense. I called out his name as the white began to envelop my vision. James kept thrusting in and out of me, enhancing my pleasure with his movements. He managed to find his way into the crook of my neck as my orgasm died down, kissing a path from my shoulder to my neck and back again.

"You're so tight, baby." His breath was hot against my shoulder and coming out loudly as he kept moving. After a few seconds, I heard him taking shorter breaths and felt the muscles in his back tense up. He started to moan and his pace started to speed up; I knew he was close. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and bucked my hips into his, creating more friction for both of us.

"Fuck," he groaned out. And I did it again and again. I cried out his name as my walls clenched around him in another orgasm. Through the fog in my head, I heard him say my name as he found his release and stilled inside of me.

He lay on top of me and kissed my shoulder gently, as we both tried to calm our breathing. What I would have always figured as too much weight seemed just perfect, just enough. I felt his feather light kisses along my neck and jaw as he brought his hands to my face. He lightly brushed some hair off my cheeks and smiled warmly at me.

I brought my hands to cup his cheeks, mirroring his actions, and lifted my head to kiss him.

He kissed my lips, then my cheeks softly, and began to kiss along my neck.

"Am I too heavy?" he asked in a rasping voice.

"No." I tightened my hold on him. "Don't you dare move."

He chuckled softly as he peppered my neck and collarbone with more feather light kisses. I loved the feeling of his weight on me and the small tickle of his breath while he kissed my skin. My fingers danced lightly along the planes of his back, and his kisses started to apply more pressure.

"James?" I murmured, and he moved slightly.

"Yea, baby," he whispered in between kisses.

"I love you."

He froze mid-kiss and pulled back to look at me, resting his weight on his elbows. I smiled at him and said it again as I looked into my favorite pair of eyes. "I love you."

He stared at me quietly and I continued to smile at him. His breathing picked up and his hands came to cup my cheeks.

"Say it again," he growled out.

"I love you."

He slammed his mouth down on mine and kissed me hard before he pulled back. "Again," he demanded.

"I love you." I smiled and ran my fingers though his hair. "So much." Repeating the words he said to me so many times. I finally understood the extent of his love. I felt like I would die without him. I wanted to stay in his arms for the rest of my life; I couldn't imagine never being with him.

"I love you, too, baby." He sighed and buried his head back into the crook of my neck. "I can't tell you how fucking happy that makes me to hear you say that." He rolled us slightly so we were lying on our sides and pulled me into his chest. I snuggled into his body and he started to rub his hands up and down my back.

"I'm happy too, James." I brushed my lips against his chest and wrapped my arms tighter around his body.

I was almost asleep when James broke through the silence. "We need to get you cleaned up, Angel," he whispered lovingly and stroked my back.

"I don't want to move," I whined into his chest. His body shook slightly as he laughed and kissed my head.  
"Me neither, but I need to clean you up." He started to slide out of me and I hissed from the tiny amount of pain that throbbed on my sex.

James heard and pulled back to look at me. I wasn't quick enough to hide my discomfort, and he noticed me wincing. "I'm sorry, baby," he soothed and planted kisses along my face.

"I'm fine. It just… sort of burns."

He kissed my lips softly and stood up. He reached his hands down to grasp me under my arms and behind my knees, lifting me off the bed. "I don't want you to look at the bed, OK?"

"OK…" I asked curiously and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Why?"

"There's some blood, which is normal for your first time, but I don't want you to be freaked out."

I simply nodded and relaxed against his chest as he moved us to the bathroom. He set me down gently and quickly discarded the condom in the toilet. He reached for a lighter on the shelf next to him and began to light the candles that he had set up on the countertop and windowsill. I watched him adjust a few and then he reached over to start the water.

"My plan was for us to take a romantic bath together before we went to bed, but I kind of like how the night played out instead." His back was to me as he turned on the shower, but I could tell he was smiling.

"We could still take a bath," I told him sweetly. I was blown away by everything he had planned for the night; no way would I rob him of a romantic gesture. Besides, I wanted to sit and relax in a hot bath.

"I'm glad you want to. I just want to wash you off real quick in the shower," He turned around and looked down to my middle and smiled sadly at me.

Then realization dawned on me. "Oh." I took the hand he held out for me and followed him into the shower.

He washed my body quickly but efficiently and allowed me to return the favor. After the proof of my virginity washed down the drain, James prepared our bath.

He put a few drops of bubble bath in the water and then stepped out of the tub.

"Where are you going?" I asked, sounding a little clingy, as he started to walk out of the room.

"I'm going to change the sheets and get the bed ready for us to sleep in. I'll be right back." He gave me a kiss and hurried out of the room.

I relaxed against the porcelain tub as the water began to get deeper. My thoughts were on one man and one man only. It didn't occur to me what kind of mess there may have been. Showering and changing the sheets hadn't even crossed my mind. Everything he had done was for my benefit.

He was so careful when he made love to me; he treated me like I was fragile and handled me delicately. He was careful to not let me see any blood; he carried me so I wouldn't have to walk because he knew I was sore. He wanted me in the bath so I could sit and relax, and he made sure to clean me first. God, I loved this man. I always believed it was the little things that counted in life, not that grand gestures are to be dismissed, but the little things mean more to me; they build up.

James came back shortly after I turned off the water and sat behind me. My head rested on his chest and our fingers tangled together on top of my stomach. We stayed in that same position until the water turned cold. He dried me off carefully and then carried me into the bed. He lay behind me and enlaced our fingers together, resting our hands on my stomach.

"I love you, James," I told him and kissed the top of his arm that was draped over me.

I felt his chest press into my back as he breathed in my hair and squeezed me tighter. "You can't ever leave me… especially now."

"I don't plan on ever leaving you, James," I whispered.

"You wouldn't be able to even if you wanted to. I'd find you," he deadpanned, and we both became quiet. I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not; his voice held no anger, so I shrugged it off as a joke. Before I was fully submerged in sleep, I heard him whisper, "You're mine forever, now."

There was a tiny ache between my thighs when I woke up in the morning. It wasn't too painful; it was more of an annoying throbbing. I stretched my body after I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and felt my feet make contact with something hard and warm. I lifted my head and saw James at the end of the bed dressed in boxers, watching me intently, and holding my guitar in his hands.

"Good morning, baby." He smiled down at me.

"Good morning." I smiled back at him.

"How do you feel?" He asked and started to strum the guitar.

"Happy," I answered honestly. I was extremely happy. The emotions James could stir up in me from just a look was a little overwhelming, but my heart would be his forever. I wanted to wake up to his piercing blue eyes everyday for the rest of my life. "How long have you been up?" I asked through a yawn.

"Awhile," he said nonchalantly and continued strumming a very comforting melody. "I made you hot chocolate and French toast."

I smelled the wonderful aroma immediately and looked over to my left. On my night stand next to a vase of roses was a beautifully put together tray of my breakfast. I thought my face would split in two with the intensity of my smile. "Thank you, James."

"I've been watching you sleep for a couple hours." He strummed again. "I could watch you for days," he murmured. "Did you know you talk in your sleep?" He smirked at me. "You kept saying my name and that you loved me."

"I do love you." I sat up and cupped his cheek. I brought my lips to meet his and kissed him softly.

"I wrote a song for you while I was watching you."

I raised my eyebrows, a little surprised hearing that. "Really?"

He nodded his head and kissed me. His tongue snaked out and gently caressed my bottom lip before he pulled it between his teeth. I moaned in response and grasped his face tighter. We kissed for a few moments before James pulled away with a huge smile on his face.

"I take it you're not too sore?" he teased.

I blushed and looked down, biting my lip slightly. I felt James' thumb tugging, gently releasing my lip from my teeth.

"I want to sing my song," he spoke softly. "Can I do that for you?"

"Of course," I said without hesitation. I sat back with my legs crossed and rested my elbows loosely on my thighs as I watched this gorgeous being in front of me adjust the strings on the guitar. His face was solemn, his eyes focused intently on the strings. As he began the first verse, his eyes made contact with mine and his features softened.

_I am at ease in the arms of a woman  
although now most of my days are spent alone  
a thousand miles from the place I was born  
when she wakes me she takes me back home _

I smiled as he sang to me and felt my eyes tearing up. His voice was melodic and powerful, conveying his feelings for me through his song. His eyes closed and the expression on his face changed as his next verse started.

_Now most days I spend like a child  
who's afraid of ghosts in the night  
I know there ain't nothing out there  
I'm still afraid to turn on the light _

The tears of happiness that had built in my eyes had turned into tears of sadness and fell down my cheeks. The words hit a spot in my heart that would forever ache for the things he had gone through in his father's house. I saw a little boy haunted by the terrible things he had lived through, and my tears fell for his suffering. I bit my lip to control the sob that wanted to escape and closed my eyes as he continued to play.

_I am at ease in the arms of a woman  
although now most of my days are spent alone  
a thousand miles from the place I was born  
when she wakes me she takes me _

His tone was no longer sad or tormented; I heard the adoration in his voice and I opened my eyes. He was singing about his love for me again and held my gaze as he smiled through his words.

_I am at ease in the arms of a woman  
although now most of my days are spent alone  
a thousand miles from the place I was born  
when she wakes me she takes me _

_Yeah, when she wakes me she takes me  
Yeah, when she wakes me she takes me back home _

_When she wakes me she takes me back home_

As he finished the last note, I couldn't contain my emotions; and with the tears flowing down my face, I flung my body into his. He quickly removed the guitar from his lap and wrapped his arms around me. I kissed him hard, biting and licking his lips as my hands clawed at his back and neck. I felt out of control with my love for him. I couldn't get close enough, I couldn't get my tongue deep enough; I wanted to blend our bodies together.

"I love you, so much, James," I groaned out and pulled him down on top of me, slamming our mouths back together.

"You're not too sore, baby?" he asked through our kisses. I shook my head no and reached my hands down to stroke his length. He hissed out and bucked into my hand as I squeezed his length. I stroked him a few more times before he pulled back and reached for his pants on the ground. He grabbed a condom from his pocket and used his teeth to tear the package open. My eyes followed his hands as they slowly rolled the thin rubber over his rock hard shaft.

He brought his head back up to mine and kissed me gently. My mouth opened and I sucked his tongue in. He took hold of my left leg and hiked my knee up a bit as he took himself in hand and touched the head of his length against my entrance. I dropped one hand down to his and helped guide his cock into me as we continued to kiss. I moaned deeply into his mouth and took his ass with both hands and tilted my hips to better receive him. He pushed into me slowly, my body wrapped tightly around him.

He started to move in me and I felt a slight sting, my smallness protesting his girth. He peered down at me, holding my head in his hands, as his strong thumbs stroked across my cheeks.

"Bella? Am I hurting you, baby?" His voice was full of concern.

"No," I whispered and felt myself float out of the insignificant pain and into bliss. We were making love. Any pain was worth this. I took my hands off of his butt and ran them through his hair.

"I love you," I said softly.

"I know. I love you, too."

"You feel amazing," I told him. "You're so big."

"Bella..." he groaned and sped up.

Immediately my body went on orgasm alert. The buzz was beginning deep in my abdomen."Oh Jesus, James."

He reached down to rub my clit and I groaned and brought my knee a little higher, opening myself so he could penetrate me more.

He rocked his body in and out of me, faster with each thrust. We were both sweaty and moaned each other's names loudly as the intensity grew. He groaned into my mouth and his hand sped up on my clit, creating the most blinding friction as his cock plowed me.

"James… yes… just like that." It was just right, his mouth, his hand, his cock in me. I exploded. I was virtually screaming into his mouth as I grabbed on tight to his fucking fantastic ass and rode out my orgasm.

James found his release right behind me and he tore his mouth from mine."Ah, Jesus, Bella!" I felt him gush into me, his hips jerking in a beautifully ungraceful staccato.

I squeezed his butt and tilted my pelvis as he thrust into me one last time, and then we both let out long, ragged, satisfied sighs as we collapsed in exhaustion. I stroked his sweaty hair away from his forehead and felt him lay light kisses on my neck and collar bone. I felt completely at ease lying there with his body covering mine and groaned in mild frustration as he slid out of me.

I watched him get up and walk to the bathroom so he could discard the condom and couldn't stop smiling. I didn't expect to feel this way towards anyone. I never believed I'd be able to find happiness after my parents died, but as I lay in bed and stared at the magnificent creature staring back at me, I was so glad I had been wrong.

James smirked and asked, "What are you smiling at?"

"The love of my life," I admitted sincerely.

I saw his eyes glisten over and answered his smile with my own. He pulled his boxers on before he sat back on the bed and reached for the tray with my now cold breakfast.

"Want me to heat it back up for you?"

"No, I'm sure it's fine." And it was. We shared my breakfast and talked about what we were going to do after we showered. The weather wasn't too bad, so James wanted to take me down to the beach. I told him Mrs. Anderson was going to get a new shipment in today and I wanted to stop by the bookstore for a little bit. He suggested we hit the store first so we wouldn't have to rush getting back before it closed.

We showered together and quickly got dressed. James had packed an overnight bag so he would have extra clothes to change into. I made us a light lunch to take with us, and then we headed outside to walk to his truck. He had parked it around the block in order to surprise me last night. He continued to be the perfect gentleman, opening the door, helping me in, helping me out, putting his hand on the small of my back as we walked into the bookstore. It was wonderful.

Mrs. Anderson had found something for me and placed it on the counter with a smile on her face. I couldn't help the squeal that came from my lips when I saw the copy of Jane Austen's classic _Northanger Abbey_ and _Persuasion_, in one book, from a rare edition of _The Works of Jane Austen_ published in 1890. The only one I needed to complete my collection was _Emma_.

James insisted on paying for my book and told me he'd buy me a thousand copies if it kept a smile on my face. He and I walked around the bookstore glancing at shelves here and there.

James found a book about sports stats for the 20th century and seemed to be engrossed in that, while I searched for more hidden treasures in the new shipment.

As we were walking out the door, my cell phone rang.

"Hello."

"_Belly Bear."_ His voice roared through the speaker.

"Hello, brother of mine."

"_What are you doing?"_

"Nothing. James and I are just leaving Mrs. Anderson's. I got a new book," I said with a smile on my face.

"_Why are you with James?"_ He sounded a little irritated. Crap.

"Umm… we just… he came over… it was nice outside…"I looked over to James and panicked, motioning to the phone.

"_No, it's perfect actually. I was going to call him next."_

I breathed a sigh of relief and handed James the phone. "Emmett wants to talk to you."

James took the phone and helped me into his truck. He kissed me softly on the cheek before he shut the door and walked around to his side.

"No, it's fine… Sure… what time… It's after one right now, we could be there before two… OK… I'll tell her… alright, see you then… bye." James turned to me and frowned. "We're going to have to reschedule our beach trip. Emmett needs me to come and get him and Rosalie."It bummed me out our plans had been ruined, but I understood. "He told me to go ahead and take his Jeep, since we all can't fit in my truck. He said you knew where the keys are."

"I'm sorry our plans got ruined, James." I scooted closer to him and buckled in the middle. I put my hand on his leg and rested my head against his shoulder. "What about the others?"

"Alice and Jasper got a ride from Ben and Angela, and I guess Edward rode back in the limo by himself last night."

"Oh." I had no idea why my stomach fluttered at this piece of knowledge. It surprised me that I had a reaction at all. Edward's personal life had never had an effect on me before, but that didn't change the relief I felt knowing he hadn't stayed at the hotel with anyone. Not only was I relieved about that, I was now confused as to why I even cared. I had just made love to James twice and couldn't be happier. Right?

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" James brought his hand off the gear shift and squeezed my thigh.

I shook my head and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you for my book."

"You're welcome."

"Should we eat before we leave? I packed sandwiches and fruit for the beach, but we could take it with us and eat it on the drive up there."

"If it's nice up there, we should try and hit the beach. I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind."

I smiled at his idea. "You really want to go to the beach, huh?"

He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "The ocean soothes me. I tried to get to the beach as much as I could back in South Carolina, but it was a few hours' drive. On nights when the beatings were pretty bad, I'd drive out to the beach and sit in the sand waiting for the sun to come up. I'd take my shoes off and walk along the shoreline, watching the birds or listening to the ocean. The sound of the waves and smell of the sand relaxes me, and I don't know… I'd really like to incorporate you in that mix, because, believe it or not, you have an even bigger calming effect on my psyche."

I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I had been staring at him the entire time he shared his feelings with me; I didn't notice he pulled into my driveway until he shut the engine off.

"I've yet to see a sun set into the Pacific. I bet it's more beautiful than a sunrise over the Atlantic. I guess I'm just anxious to watch one with you," he said sheepishly. He found ways that made me love him even more. I sat there quietly and stared at him until he finally looked over. "What?" He chuckled and tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." I smiled. "You have no idea how badly I want to call my brother and make him go. But as much as I want to go to the beach with you, I'd rather not do it with my brother there. I want to be able to hold you and kiss you as we watch the sunset together. I don't want to have to keep my distance from you."

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you," I sang and kissed his lips.

"Come on, the faster we get there, the faster we can get back to sneak off," he joked and opened the door. I climbed out after him and walked hand in hand into my house to grab the spare Jeep keys.

"Are you ready, James?" I asked after I grabbed the keys off the top of the fridge.

"Nope," he said and lifted me off the ground, pressing his lips to mine. My hands found their way to the back of his neck, urging him to deepen the kiss. Our tongues danced together wildly until we were both gasping for air. We broke our kiss and rested our foreheads together.

"Now I'm ready." He laughed quietly and guided me out of the house and into the Jeep.

* * *

**A/N: Let me know your thoughts, please.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer - Twilight characters belong to Stephanie Meyer**

**A/N: Sorry about the delay had technical difficulties loading it.**

**So, what did you think of last chapter?**

**The song at the end of this chapter needs to be played when**

**you get to that point. It'll make it so much better.**

**Avril Lavinge - Slipped Away live version.**

* * *

**BPOV**

Before James started the engine I remembered my purse and our lunches that I left sitting on the floor of his truck.

"Hold up, James, I need to grab my stuff out of your truck."

"I could get it for you."

I leaned over and kissed him quickly. "Thank you, but I'll get it." I ran to his truck and grabbed our lunches and my purse before hopping back in. As I was climbing in the jeep my cell phone rang.

"Hello, brother. What did you forget?" I teased.

"_Hey, Bella."_

"Edward?"

"_Yea. How did your night go?" _I blushed at his question and smiled at James.

"I had a great night." James met my eyes and blew me a kiss. "How was yours?"

"_Long," he paused briefly. "Umm, I was wondering, has Emmett called you today?"_

"Yeah, he called and said he needed a ride back to town. James and I are driving up there to go get him." I was trying to juggle the phone, my purse and our lunches at the same time but was having difficulty so I switched the phone to speaker and set it on the seat.

"_Oh… I was in the shower when he called. He left a message and asked if I would drive up there, I was getting ready to head out but he must have called you when he didn't hear back from me right away."_

"I'm not sure, it was like fifteen minutes ago." I buckled my seat belt and smiled over at James. "James and I were going to head to the beach before he called."

"_James, huh,"_ he muttered. I heard Edward breathing into the speaker and waited for him to talk, but he remained silent.

After a minute or two I heard Edward sigh heavily. _"Are you going to ride up there with James to get them?"_

I noticed James' hands tighten around the steering wheel and wondered what he was thinking about. "Yea, we just pulled out of the driveway."

Edward groaned heavily and I heard a loud noise in the background. "Are you ok? What was that bang?"

"_Nothing..." _he mumbled rudely._ "I guess I'll see you when you get back, I'm going to call Emmett."_

"Ok, well I'll talk to you later, Edward." He was quiet again; I almost thought he had hung up.

"_Bye, Bella_."

"Bye."

Ok, weirdest phone call ever. It didn't make sense for Edward to act the way he was. Last night he acted strange the whole time we were in the limo and now with the phone call he sounded so distant, like our connection had been broken. We were always close to each other but I didn't get that vibe from him on the phone. His tone had changed after I told him James and I were picking up my brother. Maybe he wanted to drive up there? I bet he wanted to do something in Port Angeles and us getting Emmett, ruined his plans. His actions last night were probably him being drunk or something… I stopped trying to figure it out and figured I'd ask him about it when I got back.

I reached over the center console and held on to James' hand. I raised our hands a little and tilted my head down to kiss his knuckles, which made him sigh quietly. Just then my phone buzzed.

'_Sorry if I snapped at you… had a long night – E'_

"Who was that," James asked.

"Edward, he apologized for snapping at me."

'_Don't worry about it, hope you're ok – B' _

I clutched onto James' fingers and stared out my window before my phone buzzed again; I glanced over at James before I released his hand, muttered a "Sorry," and read the text.

'_I should have walked you to your door last night – E' _

Where the hell did that come from?

"Was that Edward?" James sneered. "What did he want?"

"I'm not sure, he texted me something random, about how he should have walked me to the door last night." I heard James huff in annoyance, just as my phone buzzed yet again.

"What did he say now?" James was clearly irritated.

'_You really did look beautiful last night, Bella – E' _

I read him the text and typed a reply to Edward.

'_Thank you…again…lol…and I got inside just fine – B' _

I lifted my eyes from my phone, when I felt the jeep slow down. "What are we doing?" We had only gone a few miles when James pulled off of the highway and turned down a small gravel road.

He put the engine in park after he found a spot behind some trees and unbuckled his seat belt. As he got out of the jeep, he slammed the door behind him. I unbuckled my seat belt and opened my door. My feet didn't even touch the ground before James had his arms lifting me up and attached his mouth to mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist and deepened the kiss. I increased my hold on him when he started to walk, then I heard him open the back of the jeep. He set my body down and used his weight to push me on my back. He started to grind his hips against my center and caused me to moan in his mouth. We were making out like a bunch of horny teenagers on some back road in the middle of nowhere…. And it felt great.

I raised my hips in time with his thrust trying to create more friction, but I wanted more. I pulled his body closer into mine and squeezed my legs around him tighter. I moaned again as his teeth nipped at my lip. His hands had traveled underneath me and made their way to the back of my head. He started to increase the force of his thrusts and his hands fisted around the hair at the back of my neck.

His grip tightened and he started to slam his hips into mine, which was not feeling good anymore. It had started to hurt. I tried to move my mouth away from his to tell him but he forced my head to stay in place. I opened my eyes hoping he would be able to see my discomfort but the look on his face scared me even more. He looked crazed and pissed off, his hands were pulling too tight and his hips were slamming too hard I couldn't help but cry out.

"Ow, James, it's hurting," I wasn't able to mask the pain in my voice but it had managed to stop his movements.

He removed his hands from my hair, bringing them to my caress my face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

I sucked in some air and nodded my head, "It's ok, it was just a little too rough."

He kissed my lips gently and made a trail down my chin and around my neck until his tongue was flicking my earlobe. He nipped lightly at the skin beneath my ear and ground his hips once more into mine.

"I love you, Bella." He said and met my eyes. "You know that right?"

"Yes," I said nodding my head. "I love you, too,"

"You know I would do anything for you, right?" His lips started kissing my neck again.

I nodded my head.

"Would do you anything for me?" His voice sounded soft and innocent in between his kisses.

"Of course, James," I said incredulously.

"If you want…" he paused and I moaned as his teeth bit down on my shoulder the same time his erection pressed against my center, gentler this time. He rocked his hips, bringing another moan from me before he stopped and pulled back the top part of his body. I raised my hips wanting to feel more of him but his weight kept me from moving. He continued as he alternated kissing and licking my neck, "to be with me…" He brought his face directly in front of mine, our noses lightly touched together as he inhaled my scent. "You need to promise me…" his eyes darkened suddenly and his hands gripped my hair tightly once more, his voice deep and menacing, "that you'll stay the _fuck_ away from Edward."

"What?" My eyebrows rose in confusion.

"You need to stay the fuck away from Edward." He said calmly but his eyes never changed from cold and daunting as he stared at me.

"James," I whispered, puzzled by his demeanor. "What… I don't understand… you can't ask me that."

He lifted my body into a sitting position, my legs dangling over the edge of the jeep, feet resting on the bumper and grabbed hold of my chin hard.

"Stay the fuck away from him," he growled out and squeezed harder.

He kept hold of my chin and the more he squeezed the more it hurt. Tears filled my eyes and I shook my head. "James… what's the matter? Edward is like my brother, you can't ask me that," I sobbed loudly.

"He doesn't think of you as his sister. I see him look at you like he wants to fuck you. I see him find any excuse to touch you, did you forget about Seattle when I had to stand by and watch him cop a feel on your ass." His hand increased the pressure on my chin and I winced but he didn't stop. "I heard him on the phone earlier, he was pissed when you told him you were with me. Now with those fucking texts, you know he fucking wants you."

I shook my head, "No… he wanted to drive up there to get my brother, he had a bad night and was grumpy that's all. Please let go, baby, you're hurting me."

Ignoring my plea he continued with his rant. "I'm not going to share you. You're mine… not his," he screamed out.

I shook my head in agreement and cried out as his fingers gripped my face harshly. "I'm yours, James, now please let go."

"I fucking love you, Bella," he screamed at me.

"I love you, too, James. I swear, only you… please you're scaring me."

"You're mine," he scowled.

I didn't understand what happened to him, he was so sweet and loving this morning. Then suddenly he was like a crazed maniac, rough and mean... He was breathing hard and his eyes were callous and cruel. His eyes were not the same ones that looked at me this morning while we made love. He removed his hands from my face, placed them at my hips and jerked my shorts off my body vigorously. His hands were not gentle as he pushed me onto my back and ripped my underwear off.

I yelped loudly when he tore the fabric from my body. "Please stop, James," I cried. "This isn't you… you're scaring me." My body shook violently from the uncontrollable sobs, but he wouldn't stop. His eyes were blank, like he wasn't even seeing me. I grew more afraid with each second that passed. My hands gripped onto his arms in an attempt to make him quit but he had easily over powered me. "You're hurting me, James!" I screamed loudly, tears pouring down my face.

And then… like a flip of a switch, he stopped, his face had softened and I was in his strong arms being rocked tenderly. His hands rubbed soothing patterns on my back as he whispered comforting words in my ear. "I didn't mean it, I love you." I felt him kiss my head a few times. "Fuck, I'm so sorry, Bella."

I cried in to his neck while he rocked me back and forth, my arms flung around him, desperate for the comfort, as his fingers stroked my hair tenderly.

He kissed the top of my head and pulled back to wipe away my tears that continued to flow freely. Gone were the cold, heartless orbs from moments ago, and replaced with the soft blue eyes I had fallen in love with.

"I'm sorry baby, please stop crying."

"You sc…sc…cared me, James," I stuttered though my sobs.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to, baby, but… Don't you see, Bella," he murmured softly. "Don't you see what you mean to me, just the thought of someone wanting to steal you away from me, drives me crazy. I love you. I can't live without you."

"I love you, too, James," I cried quietly.

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispered and kissed me softly. His hands held my face gently and his lips moved against mine lightly. He didn't try to deepen the kiss; he kept it soft and sweet. "I love you Bella, tell me you forgive me."

"I do…. But… you can't ever… scare me like that again," I hiccupped between words.

"I won't, sweetie... I'm so fucking sorry." He kissed me again a little more passionately than before. I brought my up his shoulders and ran my fingers through his hair. James cupped my face tenderly, his thumbs rubbing back and forth against my chin, while his fingers stroked my jaw and neck soothingly. "Please, don't leave me. You can't ever leave me."He kissed me repeatedly until I parted my lips allowing him to deepen the kiss. My body started to heat up and I moaned in his mouth as his fingers found their way down to my sex.

James caressed my folds and had me quivering in his arms until I cried out with my orgasm. He kissed my neck until my breathing had calmed and watched my face as he unbuttoned his pants, his eyes were silently asking permission to carry on. I shyly nodded and moved my hands to help with his zipper. He reached into his back pocket while I pulled his pants and boxers down, freeing his very erect shaft. My hand wrapped around the velvety skin and moved slowly up and down his length. James bent down to kiss me and pressed his chest against mine to lay me down on my back. He lifted his body off me long enough to roll the condom on and place the head of his cock in my entrance. I gasped the moment he made contact with my sex, which still throbbed from my earlier orgasm. He inched his way slowly inside of me while lowering his body and eagerly kissed my lips.

The minute he was fully sheathed inside, he pulled his lips away and made eye contact with me.

"Can you see how perfect we fit together?" He groaned and began to rock his hips. "You were made for me, Bella. I won't let anyone come between us." His thrusts started to speed up and the heat that was overtaking my body began to flow like an electrical current in my veins.

"I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you too, James," I moaned as he moved in and out of me and the muscles in my stomach began to tighten. My fingers tingled and my toes had the sudden urge to curl upwards. My breathing became ragged and my entire body shook as the intensity of my orgasm broke free. I lost my sense of sight and sound, my body only concentrating on the waves of pleasures exploding from my core. I screamed out as the explosion hit its peak and slowly lowered my jello like arms down to my sides. As my body started to function again I felt James' breath caress the skin on my neck as his hips pushed him in and out of me.

"Promise me, Bella… promise you'll stay away from him," he whispered, sliding his body in and out.

"James, he's my brother…" I begged. My hands went to his head, running my fingers through his hair. "I can't do that."

"I know that… fuck" he shouted in my neck and picked up his pace. "I hate the way he looks at you." He slammed into me harder, creating intense pressure against my clit and caused waves of euphoric electricity to ripple down my spine. "I hate the way he touches you." His fingers clenched onto the hair behind my neck and forced my body to arch off the trunk bed. His lips went straight to my fully exposed throat, licking and kissing along my flesh. "You're mine…" He continued to pound into me, building up another orgasm inside of me, "He can't have you."

"James… oh god… he doesn't…. want me… mmm, right there," I moaned.

"Does that feel good, Bella," he slammed into me a little harder. My body immediately seized up and the energy waves that had been building up in my core, exploded, I felt my walls contract around him, squeezing him tightly. I cried out his name and clawed my fingers on whatever skin I came in contact with. He pulled back to study my face as my body started to settle back down.

He brought his lips down to mine and rocked his body harder against me. "I don't want to hurt anyone, Bella," his voice pleaded to me. I wasn't sure what he meant, my brain was still foggy from my orgasm and the feel of his cock sliding in and out of me kept me from thinking clearly. "Don't make me hurt him, Bella," his voice was void of emotion, his eyes were blank, sending a cold chill down my body. I grabbed on tight as I felt James' movements become frantic, the muscles in his back tightened and he kissed me intensely as his body found his release, and he cried out in my mouth.

I held him until his breathing calmed down and ghosted my fingers down the muscles in his back, feeling his body relax above me. He kissed my lips warmly before he stood up and tossed the condom into the bushes. He fixed his pants and helped me step back into my shorts, minus the underwear. His hands gripped my ass and he lifted my body out of the back of the jeep, shutting it behind us. My arms went to his shoulders and my legs wrapped around his waist as he walked me to my door. My body was delicately pressed against the side of the jeep and he rested his forehead against mine.

"If you tell me there's nothing going on with him, then I'll believe you," he sighed loudly.

"I promise, James. Edward has never done anything inappropriate to me," I rubbed my thumb over his cheek, in way to try and comfort him.

"I know what I see when he looks at you, but I'll try really hard to ignore it, unless he touches you Bella," he growled out the last part. "I don't want to hurt anyone, baby, especially you." He pulled his face back and looked me in the eye. "If he _EVER_ touches you like he did in Seattle," his eyes clenched shut and his hands gripped tighter on my body. I planted soft kisses on the side of his face and continued to rub my thumbs along his cheekbones.

He took a few deep breathes before he opened his eyes and sneered. "If he ever touches you like that again, I will kill him, Bella. Nobody will stop me from breaking his fucking neck. You. Are. Mine." He crashed his lips to mine and kissed me fiercely, sucking my lip in between his teeth, biting and licking until I needed air and pulled away.

He set me down carefully, when he had finished his assault on my mouth and helped me in the jeep. He was the sweet James again; he buckled my seatbelt, gently stroked my face and whispered his love for me. We drove in silence which allowed me to ponder over James' behavior and insane mood swings today. I also thought about what he said about Edward. I didn't believe that he would actually kill him but it wasn't the first time he threatened this and I had no doubt in my mind that he would hurt him if he wanted to.

I just needed to find a way to help prevent episodes like today. If I could find what triggered them, I'd be able to calm him and possibly prevent them in the future. It wasn't his fault he reacted to his anger that way, he never had any one to show him patience or coping mechanisms. I knew he loved me and I loved him and there was no way I'd give up on him. I understood James behavior was a result from the abuse he was subjected to by his dad, he didn't mean to scare me or hurt me today. Our love would be enough to help him overcome his trust and anger issues; it was going to take time though and lots of reassurance from me, but I wasn't going anywhere. I was in for the long haul.

I smiled over at the man who held my heart and sighed contently as I watched his face. "I love you, James." I reached over and took his hand in mine.

"I love you, too," he said quietly.

He looked at me with a broken expression and spoke with a sad voice. "Are you really ok, Bella... Are we ok?"

I stretched my body over the console and wrapped my arms awkwardly around him. I wanted to comfort him, but he also needed to watch the road.

"I'm fine, James. You didn't hurt me too bad, for the most part you just scared me." My lips pressed against his cheek before I sat back in my seat. "And I already forgave you."

"I am sorry again, Bella… it's just… there's no excuse what so ever for me being rough with you," he glanced over at me making sure I understood him. "But look at it from my point of view for a moment. If you constantly had to watch some girl, look at me like she wanted to be with me or grab my ass or rub her hands over my body, then she pretended to be my sister, how would you feel?" His voice was so timid his face held a pained expression when he looked over at me. "Then imagine how you would feel if you brought it to my attention and I shrugged it off, dismissed your feelings like you were overreacting. What would that do to you, Bella?"

I sat quietly and stared out the windshield. I was in complete shock hearing his explanation. I never once stop to really think about the situation from James point of view. I shrugged it off because it was Edward; he was a brother to me. But the mere thought of another girl touching James, dropped my heart into my stomach. It felt like I couldn't breathe as I thought about him allowing some girl to touch him. It was even worse to know he assumed I dismissed his feelings, which was not the case at all, but it didn't change the fact that I made him feel that way. I suddenly felt like the world's biggest asshole.

"I am so sorry, James," I spoke through my tears. "I never thought of it like that."

"I didn't mean to make you cry I only wanted to let you know how I feel about it all," he said sincerely.

"I need you to know that I _NEVER_ once dismissed your feelings, it was just hard for me to see Edward as being a threat to you because… well, he's a brother." I tightened my hold on his hand. "I can't kick him out of my life, James… he is family…. But I swear I will make every conscious effort to not be overly affectionate towards him. It was so normal for me to sit on his lap if we were watching movies, or hold his hand if we were walking down the street. I didn't stop to think how that could be interpreted as something more than friendly."

"I believe you, Bella. I want you to know that. But you have to be careful and more aware of the effect you have on guys. I love that you are so innocent you don't take notice of them staring at you, but I'm telling you this so you can be prepared. Guys check you out every day. They are sneaky about finding ways to touch you." He kept his tone light but very serious. "I'm not telling you to change your behavior because it's not what you do, it's absolutely, on hundred percent their faults." He pulled on my hand making me move closer towards him. I shifted my body to the side and leaned over so he could plant a few chaste kisses to my lips. "I'm asking you to not be alone with them. If your brother or me can't be around then don't put yourself in that position to be taken advantage of, baby."

"I won't, James."I kissed him once more and returned to my seat.

"I love you, Bella," he breathed peacefully. "You're it for me."

"I love you, too. I can't imagine not being with you." His fingers traced invisible patterns on my cheeks before he turned back to watch the road.

"Alright, enough of this sappy shit," he teased and winked at me. "What songs are you going to sing for the graduation party?"

"I already told you about the song I wrote… Edwards going to be playing the piano for that one please don't be uncomfortable."

"I told you I'm going to try and ignore my jealousy, but if he fucking touches you inappropriately, Bella…"

"He won't, baby," I assured him.

"Ok… what others are you going to sing?"

We carried on our conversation about the music choices until we pulled up to the hotel. I had texted Emmett when we got to Port Angeles so he and Rosalie were waiting on the patio outside when we arrived.

I laughed as soon as I saw my brother. He was dressed in his football jersey, blue holey jeans, smiling like a fool with an incredibly big, red velvet crown on his head. Rosalie rolled her eyes when I opened the door and snapped a picture with my phone.

"Don't encourage him, Bella," she mocked annoyance. "He hasn't taken that fucking thing off."

"Shut up, wench," my brother said in his best Englishman voice, flowed by a whack upside his head. I slapped a hand over my mouth to hold in my laughter and I heard James behind me disguising his as a cough. Emmett huffed and reached down to grab their bags.

I doubled over in laughter when my brother looked at Rosalie then to me and in his best Rodney Dangerfield voice, "Even as king I get no respect." My brother was great at impersonations and that one was fucking brilliant. Even Rosalie was laughing as she opened her door and got in the jeep.

Emmett wanted to drive so he and Rosalie sat up front, which allowed James and I to sit together in the back. They told us about their night and how Tyler and his date ended up throwing up in the pool, ruining some of the fun. Rosalie and my brother stayed in their room most of the night but heard everyone yelling about the puke.

Mine and Rosalie's phones went off at the same time, as we drove past the Welcome to Forks sign.

"Did Alice just text you?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Yeah. Do you guys want to?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "What else are we gonna do tonight?"

"Do what?" My brother and James asked.

"Alice wants everyone to hang out at her house, so we can practice our songs for the party and maybe play some games tonight."

"Only if they can handle the gun show," Emmett joked and flexed his right arm at Rosalie.

"Shut up, Emmett," she laughed out. "She wants us there at five."

"Ok, I need to change and grab my guitar. Are you going to ride with us?"I asked James.

"Yea, if you guys don't mind."

"It makes the most sense," Emmett replied. "Did you guys eat yet?"

"No, I made us sandwiches but we haven't eaten them yet."

"Well, let's go to the diner after you change," Rosalie suggested.

I ran to my room and changed into jeans, grabbed my guitar and started to head back out when I noticed my brother and Rosalie were standing in my doorway, both with surprised looks on their faces.

"What?" I asked when they wouldn't speak.

"Where did the flowers come from?" Emmett asked suspiciously…. Crap. I felt my face heat up and immediately looked away. I did not think about my brother seeing the flowers and there was no way in hell I would throw them out. I couldn't tell them James bought them for me, it would ruin everything. I hated lying to my brother, I hated lying period, but it was necessary if I wanted to be with James. I turned back around but kept my eyes on the floor.

"I don't know how they got here." I didn't technically see anyone put them here. "They were here when I got home last night." Nothing was a lie; I was simply withholding information, which made me feel a little better.

I heard Emmett mutter a 'shit' and Rosalie beamed. "Someone has a secret admirer."

"That's not funny, babe," Emmett whined. "Again, why couldn't you be ugly?" Emmett shook his head and walked downstairs, with a smiling Rosalie behind him.

Our trip to the diner was actually pleasant, aside from Emmett's occasional pouts when he'd look at me. He really was a good brother but seriously, did he expect me to be a nun?

"Alright, that's the fifth text from the pixie, time to head out," Rosalie said.

There were about six people already there when we walked in the living room. James and I joined Gavin and Edward who were playing guitars off to the side near the piano.

"So what songs are you going to do?" James asked the guys. I glanced over at him when I heard his voice and was very relieved to see he was actually being nice. I was hoping after our talk in the jeep that he wouldn't hold any animosity towards Edward and he seemed to have been doing good so far.

"We're actually thinking about doing some songs that'll make people laugh," Edward snorted.

Gavin and Edward had three songs to sing together and then each would do two solos. James had two songs he wanted to sing, I'd be doing three. We all went over our song choices a few times and it turned out to be a good little set. I would be the first to perform only because I'm surprising my brother with my song. Edward and James are the only ones who knew about the surprise and I have been crossing my fingers that it would stay that way. I worked really hard on the song and I was anxious to see Emmett's face when I performed it for him.

We stopped and took a stretch break when Alice brought us pizza then went back to practicing. Two hours later people started to join us.

"Are you guys about finished?" Emmett asked as he plopped down on the couch.

"Yea, we're just messing around now," Gavin replied as Esme and Carlisle walked in to join us. I got up and started to walk away when Esme gently tugged on my arm.

"Bella…" she said sweetly, looking up through her lashes. I knew what she wanted and smiled down at her. "Please," she pouted quietly.

"Ok." Esme loved it when I sang her song.

"Yay!" an overly excited Alice shouted into the room and clapped her hands. "Everyone get in here. Bella's going to do moms song."

"Thanks, Alice," I said sarcastically.

"Come on Bella, it'll be good practice for the party." Of course she was right. I didn't mind so much singing for my family, but the entire senior class was invited to the party and I was a little nervous about all those people watching me.

The group filed in one by one and watched me as I sang, Walking After Midnight, but I managed to make it through. I could have done without the applause, but I got them anyway. Esme hugged and thanked me, before she said goodnight and went upstairs.

We hung out for a little while longer, played cards and pool, then drove back home. James snuck a kiss good-bye and told me he'd see me tomorrow. I smiled as I pulled the comforter over me and was immediately engulfed in his scent. I loved that a part of him was with me, it brought back the memories of last night and this morning. The way he touched me and kissed me, the song he sang to me, the way his body felt against mine, I flushed all over thinking about our time together. I fisted my hands in the comforter and inhaled deeply, his smell had me asleep in no time.

Monday at school was incredibly boring. All the seniors were finished and that left Alice and I alone at school. I didn't like not having them there, I would normally hear my brother's laugh or see them in the hallways during the day. It was strange; the school seemed so empty without them.

I never hung out with anyone at school outside of our group and felt nervous when people would approach me. I kept my face down as I walked and smiled politely when they'd try to talk to me. I recognized a few of the guys, from the baseball and football team.

It seemed every time I was at my locker a new face would come and say hi. Most of the week I had someone walking me to class and trying to sit with Alice and I at lunch. A lot of the conversations were about the party coming up, and figured that was why people were approaching me all day. No one wanted to miss the party will all the hype Alice was putting out there. Stuff had died done Wednesday after lunch, I had noticed. Usually there would be someone walking me to class or waiting at my locker and I was relieved things had stopped.

However, all the attention I had been getting might have amplified my paranoia; I had an eerie feeling that I was being watched. I would get this chill up my spine and felt the hairs on my neck prickle. A few times when I turned around to see if I was being followed I swore I saw a person duck out of the way. Thursday was the same way. I was constantly checking over my shoulder to see if someone was there. When Emmett dropped me off Friday morning the feeling of being watched was much stronger and I mentioned it to Alice when we were clearing out our lockers.

"You know, Bella," she started. "I have been getting a lot of people ask me if you are single. I bet it's just the guys who want to ask you out."

"Arg, don't even say that," I moaned. "I'm glad today is our last day."

"We can take off early if you want, it's not like they can suspend us."

My face beamed. "I think that's the best idea you've came up with all year."

She laughed and we shut our lockers. "I'll call Jasper and have him get us."

"That's not necessary," a familiar voice said from behind us and awakened the butterflies in my stomach.

"James," I smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Alice grinned appreciatively and asked him.

"Just dropped by to grab some stuff from the office," he replied.

"I thought I saw you here yesterday too," she scrunched up her face a little.

"No," he said dismissively. "So, did I hear you guys needed a ride?"

"Yes, we are so done with our freshmen year," Alice squealed.

James and I laughed and the three of us walked through the doors. We loaded into his truck, which was parked down the block for some reason and headed over to Esme's. Alice had called to tell her we left school and Esme said the guys were helping Carlisle build the stage for the party.

Esme was a little worried about redesigning her living room area for the entire guests so she decided to have a stage set up outside under a tent. Alice and her had ordered the decorations and planned on setting them up Thursday, Rosalie and I would help with that.

We joined them inside while James went to help the guys out back. Rosalie and Esme were looking through a menu from the catering service. We tried to convince her not to get any food because most of the kids would have eaten with their families but she insisted on having something for us to eat. Alice and I chose the cake, and then left them alone and went to her room.

"What do you plan to do for the summer?" I asked her as she started to brush my hair.

"Not sure," she shrugged. "I'll probably work on my fashion sketches. Mom was talking about these classes in Seattle that I could take. They help with your drawing technique but also teach you more about working with fabric and body movement."

"That should be fun," I told her. "When do they start?"

"The end of June, twice a week for six weeks. Mom said she'll go with me. What are you doing this summer?"

"Mrs. Anderson said she could use my help in the store. It took me weeks of convincing her not to put me on payroll. It's not like I need the money, she'll be helping me out with school credits and besides I get first dibs on any book that comes in the store."

She giggled, "I love my nerdy best friend."

"And I love my overtly ADHD best friend." We laughed together."Hey show me some of your new sketches."She beamed and jumped up to grab her book.

We flipped through the pages and she explained what type of fabric she wanted for each one. It amazed me how many forms of silk were out there. And her color pallet was phenomenal. What I knew about poets, she knew about the combinations of blue.

"These are amazing, Alice," I exclaimed. It was remarkable how good she was.

"You think so?" She asked excitedly. I nodded and we flipped through more pages.

"Have you written any new songs?"

"Yeah," I sighed and looked down.

"What's wrong?" She asked concerned with my reaction.

"It's nothing, I've just… I've written a few songs…." Decided that I was going to confess my surprise I met her eyes. "You have to promise not to tell anyone ok?" I pleaded.

Her head bobbed animatedly and she used her fingers to lock her lips together, very Alice like.

I giggled at her childlike behavior and told her about my brothers' surprise.

"He's going to love it Bella. Do I get to hear it?"

"I kind of want it to wait for the party," I replied reluctantly.

"That's ok. I know it's going to be great." She clapped her hands. "Is that the only thing you've written?"

I looked down at my hands and shook my head sadly. "No, I wrote a song about my parents."

She leaned her head against my shoulder and nodded. I could hear her stopping herself from talking and knew she wanted to ask it but she didn't want to be rude. I chuckled lightly at her restrain and turned my head.

"Do you want to hear it?"

Her eyes lit up and she shook her head yes. I laughed one more time at her and grabbed her hand to climb off the bed. We hooked our arms together and walked to the piano. I could see through the window that everyone was outside working on the deck and then sat down on the bench. Alice stood off to my side and smiled.

"I wrote this after their year anniversary." I said softly and brought my hands to the keys.

_Na na  
Na na na na na_

_I miss you  
Miss you so bad  
I don't forget you  
Oh it's so sad._

_I hope you can hear me  
I remember it clearly._

_The day you slipped away.....  
Was the day I found  
It, won't be the same  
Oh_

_Na na  
Na na na na na _

I lifted my head when I heard a noise and locked eyes with my brother. He and the rest of the group had walked in and stood watching me as I played. He smiled sadly as he moved to the chair closest to the piano. I looked back down to my fingers and continued the song.

_I didn't get around to kiss you  
Goodbye on the hand  
I wish that I could see you again  
I know that I can't oooooh  
I hope you can hear me  
Cause I remember it clearly  
_

_The day you slipped away..._

I lifted my head and held my brothers gaze with a soft smile. Although this song was sad, it felt sort of soothing to sing about our loss.

_Was the day I found  
It, won't be the same  
Oh_

_I've had my wake up  
Won't you wake up  
I keep asking why.  
And I can't take it  
It wasn't fake it  
It happened you passed by  
_

I turned my head away from my brother and closed my eyes as I let my emotions come through my next words.

_Now you're gone  
Now you're gone  
There you go  
There you go  
Somewhere I can't bring you back  
Now you're gone  
Now you're gone  
There you go  
There you go  
Somewhere you're not coming back_

_The day you slipped away..._

_Was the day i found  
It, won't be the same  
Oh_

_Na na  
Na na na na na_

_I miss you._

"That was beautiful," my brother said and wrapped one arm around my shoulder, bringing me into his side for a hug. "You have a gift, Belly Bear."

"Thank you," I replied and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I mean it, your words… they were my thoughts… you explained how I feel," he choked out. I could tell he didn't want to cry. "Your voice is incredible, the entire thing gave me chills…. But in a good way, sis."

I nudged his shoulder and smiled at him. "Enough with the flattery," I teased. "You don't want my head as big as yours, do you?"

"No," he chuckled softly. "But I meant it about your voice, sis."

"I know you did and thank you, Em."

"Is everyone ready for lunch?" Esme's voice broke through the quiet.

I spent most of the week over at their house helping out where I could, which was mainly helping Esme in the kitchen. I didn't mind. Alice was crazy with her orders and specifications. I would never hear the end of it if I messed up the decorations or chose the wrong placement for something. It was a lot safer for all of us for me to stay in the kitchen.

James and I would sneak away any chance we got when no one was looking. During that week James and I had made love in my room a couple more times, twice in his truck, once at the beach and twice in his bed, each time strengthening our love for each other.

The night before the party we did a run through of our songs and tested the stage. James sounded great during his rendition of Safetysuit's Anywhere but Here. I was so excited when he told me he was going to sing the song. When we first got together he had me listen to it while we were on the phone one night and I've played it at least once a day since then. He stared at me the entire time he was rehearsing making sure I knew he was singing to me.

After he finished his song I wanted to sneak off with James so I told my brother I wanted to go home.

"Can you wait like twenty more minutes and I'll drop you off on my way to Rosies, her parents wanted us to stay there tonight," he said.

"I can take her on my way home. I'm heading out right now," James told him.

"If you don't mind," Emmett replied. James said no and we loaded in his truck.

It had been easier than I thought for James and I to find ways to be together, everybody was preoccupied with graduation and the party, no one was paying that much attention.

His hands were instantly on me as we entered my room, tearing my clothes from my body. I barely got his pants unbuttoned before he had me up against the door, biting and licking his way down my stomach. He was on his knees and hooked one of my legs over his shoulder.

"I need to taste you," James said in a husky whisper. He plunged his tongue deep inside me, making me gasp out loud. The feeling of his tongue working back and forth turned my body to jello. I lost complete muscle use and slumped against the door. James sensed my dilemma and placed my other leg over his other should, hooking both hands up and around my thighs, holding me in place.

I felt him move slightly and then he was slowly torturing my clit in a circular motion with his thumb. My body was on fire and it didn't take long before I was seeing stars burst around me.

"Fuck," James spoke as he continued to move his mouth against me. "I could… live off… the taste… of you… alone."

Nothing was sexier than when James talked to me while we were intimate. The huskiness of his voice, the vibrations it created against me, had my mind spinning and turned my body to mush.

"Baby, I'm coming again," I screamed as another orgasm ripped through my body arching my back off the door.

He licked and sucked until my orgasm died down, then he stood up and draped my legs around his waist. He had one arm around my waist, holding me against the door while he used his other arm to roll a condom down his length. My breathing didn't have any time to settle before he quickly and forcefully pushed himself inside of me.

"Mine," he growled and I moaned at the sensation of being filled by him.

He pulled me down on him as his hips rocked and thrusted hard and fast, eliciting moan after moan from me. I clawed frantically at his shoulders and attacked his mouth with as much force as I could assemble when James began to swivel his hip in time with his thrust. Each time he would surge upwards, his hips would pivot and rub viciously against my swollen nub. I threw my face into his neck and bit down hard as my body was smashed with another orgasm. James moaned loudly and thrust into me hard three more times, before calling out my name as he came.

Tired and completely spent, James slowly collapsed to the floor, bringing me with him. He rested his head against my chest and placed kisses over my heart while we sat and caught our breath.

"I love you, so much, Bella," he breathed.

"I love you, too, James," I hummed.

"That was fucking incredible, baby."

I giggled and kissed his head. "Thank you."

He chuckled softly and slowly removed himself from inside me. I groaned at the loss of our contact and brought my lips to his.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" I asked him.

He kissed me back and brought his hands to my face. "I couldn't leave if I wanted to."

We showered together and quickly got into bed. We set the alarm for six, to give us enough time for him to leave without us getting caught, then snuggled together under the blankets.

"Goodnight, James," I said into his chest.

"Goodnight, baby." His arms wrapped tighter around me, "I love you."

"I love you."

We made love two more times before he left in the morning to get ready for the ceremony. I wasn't able to go back to sleep without him laying with me and decided to text Alice.

_I'm up and bored… what are you doing? – B_

_Everything!!! When are you coming over?! –A_

_As soon as someone comes and gets me – B_

_I put my jeans on and tossed some random shirt on when my phone texted again._

_I had strict orders to wake up and get you as soon as possible… hope you're ready. Be there in 5 – E_

_Lol… what'd she threaten you with? – B_

_Hair dye in my gel when I least expect it – E_

_You know the sad part is that it would hurt her more than you – B_

_How so? – E_

_When has she ever been a fan of hair dye? – B_

_Good point – E_

_I'm ready just gotta brush my hair – B _

_Out the door – E_

_Hurry up old man – B_

_Dammit woman, stop texting me back – E_

I laughed and went to the kitchen, tossing two pop tarts in the toaster. I drank a glass of milk and quickly scarfed one pop tart down. Edward showed up looking like he just rolled out of bed and snatched the rest of my breakfast out of my hand.

"Hey," I protested.

"Consider this payment," he teased and walked outside.

"Bully," I yelled as I grabbed my bag and shut the door.

Edward swallowed what was in his mouth before he turned around and winked.

"Bully?" He sneered playfully. "I'll show you bully." Before I could react Edward had me tossed over his shoulder and tickled me til I had tears in my eyes.

"Stop," I cried out. "You're gonna make me pee."

He laughed and set me down, grabbing a hold of me as I began to fall over.

"I came here out of the kindness of my heart and you call me a bully," he mocked hurt.

"You stole my breakfast, then tried to tickle me to death" I laughed out. "So, yes, that makes you a bully."

"Oh come on," he walked with me under his shoulder. "Bully's are mean and you know I love ya."

"Tell that to my empty stomach," I joked.

He laughed as he leaned over and placed a kiss on top of my head before he opened my door and I climbed in. Neither one of us noticed the truck that had been parked around the corner watching my every move_.__

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**A/N: Tell me what your thinking people...**

**I love to know.**

**Ok, graduation is next**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: You know who they belong to, I just like having fun with them. **

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews and PM's but i feel i need to clarify some things. **

*******Yes this story is B/Jms now but it will be B/E, just not right away... thank you to Kara315 for backing me up. **

**I like FanFic _novels_, so my story is going to be a LONG one, and not rushed! **

*******It was also asked a few times how the girls never noticed a change in Bella. **

**Well Alice was focused on the fact Jasper as leaving soon and wasn't paying much attention.**

**Rosalie figured it was Bella growing up and learning to deal with the attention from guys. **

*******For the few James lovers I have, you are going to be so disappointed because he is only going downhill from now on. **

*******For my Edward lovers... I have a treat for you... an EPOV chapter will be up soon and hopefully explain a lot about his side of things. **

**If you are loving it so far, thanks a million for sticking by. If you don't like it... click that little red X on the right hand corner of your screen. **

**Wallah, problem solved. **

**Alright with the bitchfest, hope you enjoy the chapter. **

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**BPOV**

"…James Carter…"

He looked so handsome up there walking across the stage; it took a lot of restraint to not jump up and scream my love for him. The entire football team hollered, which helped mask my puny yells. I couldn't show too much enthusiasm without bringing attention to us, so I had to hold back my zeal. He looked right at me and smiled when he was handed his diploma, making me instantly want to run over and throw my arms around him. _Tonight, wait for tonight._

"…Edward Cullen…"

Alice screamed before they even finished his last name. The football and baseball team hollered like they did for James, but Alice was not to be outshined. She jumped out of her chair and started bouncing up and down, as I sat next to her and let out a whistle as Edward walked off the stage with is diploma.

"…Jasper Hale…"

Again, I sat next to a jumping pixie, waving her arms in the air frantically, being heard over the guys on the football team. I clapped and whistled as I watched Alice cry tears of happiness for her boyfriend. It stung a little knowing that I wasn't able to do the same for James, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he knew I wanted to.

"…Rosalie Hale…"

The entire cheerleading squad stood and shouted as we watched Rosalie walk across the stage. Only she had the ability to make a cap and gown come across as high fashion. She looked beautiful, and from the yells of my brother, he thought so too.

"…Emmett Swan…"

When they said his name, I was the one jumping and hollering over the guys. He looked so grown up as he walked towards the podium. It felt like my face would split in two from the strength of my smile. I had never been more proud of my brother. His dimples were on full display as they handed him his diploma, and in true Emmett fashion, he turned to the crowd and flexed his right arm, left arm, then changed his form so it looked as if he was pointing off to the side while simultaneously yelling, "Boom, Bang, Firepower!" The entire gym erupted in laughter as he walked off the stage.

When the final name was called and all the speeches made, balloons dropped and the seniors threw their caps. I ran as fast as I could and jumped into my brother's arms.

"Ahhhh!" I yelled. "I am so freaking proud of you, Em."

He laughed and twirled me around. "Thanks, sis."

"Can I hug my monkey man?" Rosalie asked playfully. I released Emmett and threw my arms around her. "Congratulations, Rose."

I saw Edward walking towards his parents, but I stopped him and hugged him first. "Congratulations, Edward." He hugged me back and lifted me off the ground, bringing me to his level. He kissed my cheek and he set me back down.

"I'm going to go find my mom. I'll be right back," he yelled over his shoulder.

I turned back around and made eye contact with my favorite person. I walked quickly over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck; he picked me up immediately and started to twirl me around.

"I love you, James. I am so proud of you," I said into his ear.

"Thank you, baby."

"I want to kiss you so bad, it's frustrating the crap out of me," I whined.

"I know. Later tonight, I promise." He chuckled and moved to set me down. I held on tighter, not ready to let him go, and brought my mouth down to kiss his cheek before I let him go.

"I'm holding you to it, buddy."

As we walked over to meet up with everyone, I looked around and couldn't see Claire.

"Where's your aunt? I didn't see her during the ceremony."

"She stood near the back and left after my name was called. She doesn't do too good with crowds."

"So she won't be there tonight?" I asked. We had invited her to join us for dinner.

"I don't think so, sweetheart. But don't take it personal. She's not a people person," he said reassuringly.

I glanced over at him and asked timidly, "Are you still going?" I hated that I sounded so weak, but I was really looking forward to spending time with him.

"Of course, I am." He smiled down at me.

It took four vehicles to get everyone to the restaurant in Port Angeles, but we made it. Rosalie and Jasper's parents joined us, and Mr. Hale and Carlisle fought over who would pay for dinner. The Hales won that argument, since The Cullens were hosting the party. It was pretty funny watching the two head males snatching the ticket out of each other's hand each time they explained why they were paying for dinner.

We made it back to the house around nine thirty, and Alice dragged me upstairs to change. I convinced her nothing too flashy and was relieved when she handed me a pair of jeans and a really cute top.

By ten forty-five, the house was packed and we decided to get everything started. Alice and James helped gather everyone into the living room while Edward and I walked over to the piano. Emmett was told by Alice to stand next to Esme and Carlisle, who were up front, and Rosalie and Jasper joined him.

James handed me a microphone, told me good luck, and kissed my cheek lightly before he walked over to the group.

"Hi, everyone… Umm, on behalf of myself and The Cullens, we want to say congratulations to all the graduates…" I smiled and waited as the entire room cheered; I laughed and clapped with them. "We have a fun night of music planned out for everyone, and when we're finished, if anyone feels the need to get up and jam… by all means… in the words of my brother… 'bust a move.'" The entire room laughed and applauded my attempt at humor, which helped erase my nerves. I waited for the noise to die down and hoped to keep the tears away as I continued.

"I promised myself I wasn't going to go all girly tonight and cry, so I'm going to get this out as fast as possible. Two people are missing here tonight, and I felt there was no way we could celebrate without acknowledging them first. They were two of the most amazing people to have ever walked this earth, and there isn't a day that goes by where they are not remembered." I turned to face my brother as I spoke next.

"Emmett, I know if Mom and Dad were here today, they would tell you how proud they are of you, and what an incredible man you turned out to be." I paused briefly as I felt my throat getting tight and knew I was close to tears. I closed my eyes, shook my head, and took a deep breath. My voice was much stronger when I spoke again.

"I know that's what they would say, and because they are not here to say it, I need to. I am so proud of you, Emmett. Even though you've pulled my hair more times than I can count and used to hide my books when you were mad at me, you are and always will be the most amazing man I will ever know." I looked away from him when I saw his eyes tearing up; if I started crying, there was no way I could sing. I turned to Edward and nodded my head for him to start. "I love you so much and congratulations. I wrote this song for you, brother."

_When I'm lost in the rain  
In your eyes, I know I'll find the light  
To light my way, when I'm scared losing ground  
When my world is going crazy, you can turn it all around  
And when I'm down, you're there, pushing me to the top  
You're always there giving me all you've got_

For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love  
To keep me safe and warm, I turn to you  
For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on  
For everything you do, for everything that's true, I turn to you

I smiled over at him and fought hard to keep the tears away as I saw his fall. 

When I lose the will to win  
I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again  
I can do anything 'cause your love is so amazing  
'Cause your love inspires me  
And when I need a friend, you're always on my side  
Giving me faith, taking me through the night

For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love  
To keep me safe and warm, I turn to you  
For the strength to be strong and for the will to carry on  
For everything you do, I turn to you, yeah

For the arms to be my shelter through all the rain  
For truth that will never change, for someone to lean on  
But for a heart I can rely on through anything  
For the one who I can run to, oh, I turn to you

For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love  
To keep me safe and warm, I turn to you  
For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on  
For everything you do, for everything that's true  
For everything you do, for everything that's true, I turn to you

I opened my eyes and stared at my brother who had tears pouring down his face as he held onto a sobbing Esme. "I love you, Emmett." And in an instant, I was in his arms, being crushed by the force of his hug. He swung me around and yelled out to the crowd, "Give it up for my baby sister!"

"I love you, Belly Bear." His sob was drowned out by the room applauding. "That was… I mean… there aren't any words, Bella…. Thank you." He pulled back and we both started to laugh as we wiped each other's faces.

We made it outside after a few moments, and the guys walked to the stage. Edward and Gavin were getting ready to sing one of the songs they chose, and everyone gathered around the stage.

We all laughed during their rendition of Weezer's Teenage Dirtbag"; even Esme and Carlisle thought it was funny. Gavin disguised his voice so he could sing the girl part; it was pretty comical. James went next and sang "Better Together" and made occasional glances my way. I knew he was singing for me, but we couldn't let anyone else know that. When it was my turn, I made eye contact with James for the first line and then closed my eyes for the rest of the song. I didn't want to see anyone else's face as I sang "Bubbly." Those words reflected my feelings about James and me, not anyone else.

Edward did a solo after me and had all the girls swooning, singing "More Than Words." Gavin went after him and worked the crowd with Justin Timberlake's "Summer Love." That was our rotation until the last song, which was by Gavin. I thought we were all finished until Edward and James stood on stage and asked for the varsity team to come up.

As Jasper went to the stage, Alice walked over to me with a confused look on her face.

"What are they doing?"

"I have no idea," I replied, just as curious.

Gavin approached the microphone and smirked. "We thought we'd end the night with a fun message for all the men who are going to be settling down in the near future." As he started talking, the football team lined themselves into formation, feet apart, hands behind their backs and heads down.

"1, 2, 3, 4…." They started clapping with the beat and bounced their bodies a little to the song, each one bellowing the words to Jimmy Soul.

_If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life  
Never make a pretty woman your wife  
So from my personal point of view  
Get an ugly girl to marry you_

**Gavin**: _  
A pretty woman makes her husband look small  
And very often causes his downfall  
As soon as he marries her then she starts  
To do the things that will break his heart_

_**Tyler**__:  
But if you make an ugly woman your wife  
you'll be happy for the rest of your life  
An ugly woman cooks meals on time  
And she'll always give you peace of mind_

**All the guys: **_  
If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life  
Never make a pretty woman your wife  
So from my personal point of view  
Get an ugly girl to marry you_**Jasper:**_  
Don't let your friends say you have no taste  
Go ahead and marry anyway  
Though her face is ugly, her eyes don't match  
Take it from me, she's a better catch  
_

_**All the guys: **__  
If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life  
Never make a pretty woman your wife  
So from my personal point of view  
Get an ugly girl to marry you__**Edward**__:  
Say man!  
_

_**James**__:  
Hey baby!  
_

_**Edward**__:  
I saw your wife the other day!  
_

_**James**__:  
Yeah?  
_

_**Edward**__:  
Yeah, an' she's ug-leeee!  
_

_**James**__:  
Yeah, she's ugly, but she sure can cook, baby!  
_

_**Edward**__:  
Yeah, alright!__**All the guys:**__  
If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life  
Never make a pretty woman your wife  
So from my personal point of view  
Get an ugly girl to marry you  
_

Emmett belted his attempt at the bravado and I almost died laughing so hard.

_Yeah, yeah… yeah… yea, yeah yeah yeah_

_**All the guys: **__  
If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life  
Never make a pretty woman your wife  
So from my personal point of view  
Get an ugly girl to marry you_

Everyone in the crowd jumped and screamed during the entire performance. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I couldn't believe they pulled it off without anyone, especially Alice, finding out. I saw Esme snap pictures in between her laughter and noticed Carlisle with a video camera. That performance was going to be awesome watching back.

"That was hilarious," I said as the guys approached.

"See, Belly Bear, you're not the only one who can pull off surprises," Emmett gloated.

"Don't flatter yourself, bud." Jasper laughed. "We had to keep it from him until yesterday."

The night turned out to be a blast. People danced and sang, and we laughed a lot when some not so harmonic people decided to perform. People were standing around talking about their plans for college and career choices. I stood by James most of the night, which was easy since our group had been huddled together.

Esme had prepared the house for people to sleep; she brought tents outside for some, arranged the living room for others, and all the guest rooms were doubled up. Usually I would bunk with Alice, but she was sleeping with Jasper; Edward offered to let me sleep in his room, but I declined when I felt James tense up next to me. I told Emmett I wanted to sleep in my own bed; James said he was going to go home and I asked him to drop me off at the house.

We ended up staying at his house, though. I felt bad that his aunt wasn't able to join us for dinner or the party, but I understood about not liking large amounts of people. I wasn't sure how much she knew about James and me, but she never said anything. In fact, she hardly made an appearance when I was around. Almost every time I would come over, she would go to her room. I was thinking maybe James told her that we had to hide our relationship and she felt better by keeping her distance so she wouldn't have to lie. When we did end up in the same room, she was always very nice to me. She and her husband had only been here for a few years before he passed. James said she was moving to Toronto after he left for college. She would have left sooner if James hadn't moved here, but she wanted to help him get away from Marcus Sr.

The rest of June consisted of barbeques and camping trips. We all wanted to spend as much time together as we could before everyone left for school. I worked at the bookstore three days a week, but outside of those hours, I was with my family. Esme hosted a lot of dinner and game nights for us. It was going to be a shock to us all not having the whole gang around.

As much as I would miss him, I tried to get my brother to change his mind about staying in Forks. I wanted him to have the full experience of college life, but he wasn't having it. It made more sense to me to have him live in the dorms instead of driving back and forth every week, but he wouldn't budge. He had online classes, which made things easier; he only had to be on campus on Fridays. He'd drive up Thursday and come back Sunday. Carlisle and Esme said I could stay with them, but I told Emmett I wanted my independence and would be fine alone at the house. Truth be told, James and I planned on him coming down Friday nights and spending the weekend together.

The gang stayed in Seattle 4th of July weekend and watched the fireworks display. The rest of the month, we were mainly at the beach.

The last week of August, reality started to kick in. Everyone had to be checked into their rooms before September 1st, and they had been so busy messing around, no one was packed. We all jumped from house to house and helped load things into boxes. It only took two days to get them packed and loaded, but they were very long days.

Mrs. Hale drove Esme, Alice, Rosalie and me in her SUV. Mr. Hale and Carlisle rode together in the U-Haul, and Emmett, Edward, Jasper and James drove up in the truck which was also packed full of stuff.

Alice and I helped carry things to Rosalie's dorm and ended up staying until her last box was unpacked. When it was time to go, everyone was in tears. Rosalie and Emmett were off to the side whispering to each other; I saw my brother repeatedly wipe her cheeks.

Alice was a blubbering mess, hugging Jasper like she'd never see him again. Esme was doing the same thing to Edward. I wasn't any better when James and I snuck off to the library.

"I'm going to miss you so much, James," I sobbed into his shoulder.

"It'll be alright, baby." His words tried to soothe me. "I'm going to miss you too, but I'll be there every weekend and you can call me anytime."

"It's not the same," I cried. "We've been together almost every day for close to a year. How am I supposed to function without you being around?"

He continued to hold me tight and lay kisses on top of my head.

"I love you and I'll call you every day."

"I love you, too."

"Come on, babe." He kissed my lips. "We need to get back."

School started for me and Alice a week later, which helped pass the time. We had a lot of classes together, which was great. She and I decided not to do cheerleading this year; it wasn't the same without Rosalie. Alice took art classes after school, and I helped Mrs. Anderson.

The weekend of my birthday, everyone had come back down to celebrate. I convinced Alice and Esme that I only wanted family around. Emmett took me down to the DMV first thing and smiled proudly as I was handed my license. Alice was a little upset because she didn't pass her test last month.

She had been so excited and practiced driving as much as possible, but when she and the instructor pulled back up, the look on her face let us know she didn't pass. She hadn't cried like I would have expected. Instead, she walked right by us on her way to schedule another appointment, muttering, "Stupid three second rule… who counts to three at each stop sign?" She helped me out for my test, though; I made sure to count.

I drove the Jeep over to Alice's, and because I was so excited about my license, I hadn't complained once while she Barbied me up in the outfit she bought for my present. It was a really pretty, form-fitting tan dress shirt, with an off-white skirt that stopped above the knees and flared mid-thigh, matched with knee high suede wedge boots. She kept my make-up simple and left my hair to fall down my back in its natural waves. I really liked it.

Truth be told, ever since I'd been with James, it hadn't bothered me that much when Alice dressed me up. I wanted to look good for him; even though he always told me I was beautiful no matter what, I wanted to put the extra effort in it for him.

After I showed everyone my license, Alice sat in the middle of the living room and had me open my gifts. Esme and Carlisle bought me a new laptop, which basically came equipped with a home studio.

"Thank you so much!" I screamed and flung my arms around both of them; they laughed and hugged me back. After Emmett told me he liked my song, I'd wanted to buy a program that I'd be able to record my music on. I wasn't sure how they found out about it, but I was grateful. The laptop came with everything I would need to create a CD of my music.

I got a very cute jacket and diamond earrings from Rose and Emmett, an iPod from Edward, a $100 iTunes card from Jasper and personalized sheet music from James.

"Thank you so much, everybody." I beamed.

I wanted to thank James properly, and when everyone seemed to be preoccupied with college topics, I excused myself and stealthily motioned for James to follow me. I heard him get up and put an extra swing in my hips when I saw him behind me.

I opened the door to the laundry room, and my chest was immediately pressed against the dryer.

"Are you trying to kill me, Bella?" he asked, his rough whisper shooting right to my center. Suddenly, the oppressive heat from the dryer in the room was nothing compared to the fire burning inside me. "You were teasing me," he accused seductively and backed away. "That's a very dangerous game."

"I'm not worried," I said smugly.

"You're not, huh," he growled out.

I listened and felt the heat roll off his body as he came and stood behind me. One of his hands slid down to my thigh and began inching up the fabric of my skirt. "Then you're inviting this?"

I put a hand over his and felt his body stiffen; he thought I was going to stop him. But after only a few seconds hesitation, I guided his hand beneath the hem of my skirt and showed him exactly what I was inviting him to do.

"Jesus," he breathed, as I coaxed his slender fingers into my dampened center.

I was not prepared for my own reaction, the tightening in my belly at the touch of his hand, the sharp gasp or the shudder. And when he started to work his fingers back and forth through the slickened layers of my sex, my knees went weak, and it was only the presence of the dryer and James' firm grip around my middle that kept me from collapsing in a boneless heap upon the floor.

I was moaning now as James started nibbling on my ear; his hot tongue traced wet patterns and toyed with the stud in my lobe. The simultaneous stimulation from both his hand, rubbing harder and faster at my center, and his mouth, sucking and licking, breathing heavy into my ear, had me completely undone... I was lost in the heat of passion, unable to reason my way out; my only thoughts were of pleasure and seeking release.

My hips rolled with the movements of his hand, and James rocked his body into me, pressing his erection against the small of my back. God, I wanted him so much, wanted to feel him deep inside... wanted him to fill me, surround me, envelope me, own me. I tried to tell him, but the words came out breathless and broken. "James... please, please... need you inside."

He let me go, and when I turned to face him, he was loosening his pants. My heartbeat quickened in anticipation. A second later, his pants fell around his ankles and his boxers quickly followed. I bit my lip when I saw his erection, thick and ready for our awaiting dance. He reached over for the condom and slid it on quickly.

He pulled me to him and kissed me, an open-mouthed assault so unbelievably thorough, I was left dizzy from the rush. I put my arms around his neck, and he lifted me up as I wrapped my legs about his narrow hips. James put my back against the wall, and while he held my stare, he positioned himself at my entrance and slowly began to push his way inside. When I cried out from the pleasure of having him inside me, he was quick to cover my mouth with his hand, his eyes offering an unspoken apology.

"Shh," he whispered, and it's not until that moment that I realized exactly what it was we were doing... or rather _where_ it was that we were doing it. "Gotta be quiet. Don't want them to hear us and come back here to see what's going on."

I couldn't believe we were doing it _here_. It would be okay. We just had to be quiet. Not a sound.

A nod from me, and James removed his hand immediately. He continued to push his way into my body, stretching me very slowly, very gently, to accommodate his generous size. When my eyes snapped shut, a slight wince pinched my face as I tried to keep myself silent; he froze in place.

"Too much?" The strain was evident in his voice.

Forcing my eyes open, I shook my head to reassure him that I was fine. I wanted this; it just took a second for my body to adjust to him. I did not want him to stop. Wrapping my arms more tightly around his neck, I buried my face against his.

"Do it, James," I commanded softly into his ear. I focused on my breathing, concentrating on each deliberately even breath. James resumed pressing, pushing, forcing his way deep, and then deeper, until he was completely buried within me.

"Bella, look at me." I did, offering him a smile, and he returned my happiness with a devilish grin of his own and then whirled us ninety degrees to the right and put my back up against the hard steel clothes rack. "Hold onto the bars up there, baby," he ordered.

_Oh. My. God._

I grabbed a metal pole on either side of my head and James began thrusting into me. I stayed with him, giving back as much as he gave, both of us pounding harder and faster. Couldn't get enough, never enough of...

Our voices were silent; there was nothing but the sound of our bodies slamming together in the empty laundry room.

Synapses created tiny explosions everywhere on my body. I surrounded him like a tight, wet vice, squeezing and pulling him into my body. Every time with him felt like the first. I was always so tight.

His first few strokes were long and lingering, which allowed me to adjust to his size and allowed him to regain some composure, but that lasted about all but a few seconds. His hips involuntarily started to pump faster, pressing me harder against the wall. My only response was his name leaving my lips in choked gasps and muffled moans.

My breathing quickened, bursting from me in short pants. The harder he thrusted, the rougher the timbre of my moans became. I was close. It was a damn good thing, because he was about to reach that point of no return himself. He thrusted faster, deeper, kissing any part of me he could reach, nipping and sucking at my soft skin. I could feel myself contracting around him, and within seconds, my sharp teeth bit into his shoulder and a muffled scream vibrated against his skin.

The bite finished him off. One long, deep pump of his hips and he was soaring, pure ecstasy flowing through his veins and into my body. He pulsed inside me, feeling my contracting muscles milking and draining him, extending his pleasure.

His lower body collapsed with mine, but he still had enough strength to keep his upper body supporting me in his arms. He opened his eyes to find my flushed creamy skin glistening with sweat, my piercing brown eyes staring lovingly at him. My lips parted and a moist pink tongue darted out. He couldn't resist dipping his mouth to mine and retrieving my tongue with his teeth, pulling it between his lips. I laughed from the feeling of his teeth on my tongue and pulled away.

"That tickles," I said between breaths.

"I'll have to remember that," he teased. "We better get back out there before they come looking for you."

James found a garbage can and discarded the condom while I adjusted my clothes and tried to smooth down my hair.

He and I hung out in the kitchen for a few minutes, drank sodas and talked about things we did over the past two weeks. Alice came in and announced we were ready to leave for dinner. Everyone was by the door putting their coats on when I noticed Rosalie wasn't in the room. I didn't have a chance to ask where she was, because my brother walked behind me and covered my eyes.

"Emmett, what are you doing?" I said, a little panicked as he started to walk me.

"I have a surprise for you."

I heard a door open and felt a cold breeze hit my face and realized he took me outside. He helped coax me down the stairs and instructed me not to move. I heard footsteps behind me and the faint sound of people breathing before my brother lifted my hand and placed a small object in my palm. My fingers inspected the metal, and I knew instantly what it was.

"A key?" I asked. "Why'd you give me a key?"

"Open your eyes, Bella," he instructed.

It took a second for my eyes to adjust after they opened, and then I gasped at what was in front of me.

"Happy Birthday!" everyone screamed.

A brand new BMW X5 SUV was parked in front of the house with a huge pink bow on the top of the hood. Rosalie climbed out of the driver's seat and grinned. "Does this mean you like the color I picked out?" she joked.

I threw my arms around my brother and screamed, "This is awesome, Em!"

He lifted me off the ground and spun me around. "Every licensed driver should have a car."

He set me down and I ran to the car, my car, my black new SUV.

"Alice," I hollered after hugging Rosalie. "Get in!"

I could hear my family laughing at my childlike behavior, but I didn't care.

"Wait a second." Rosalie laughed. "You're driving all the girls; the guys are riding in the truck. That way, we don't have to take so many vehicles."

Dinner was great and my smile never left my face, even when they brought out a cake and sang to me. I was incredibly happy; my family had given me an awesome birthday.

The week before Halloween, Alice had passed her driving test and Carlisle bought her a blue 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse with Diablo doors; we alternated days to drive each other to school. We had managed to become even closer now that it was just us in town; Emmett hung out a lot around Carlisle when he wasn't at the hospital. She and I were always together, except on the weekends; she'd go to Seattle and James would come here. The weekend came, and everyone, except Alice and I, was going to a huge Halloween party on campus and wouldn't be down, so she and I made plans to attend Jessica's Halloween party.

Alice went as a sexy pirate princess. Her top had butterfly sleeves and a jacket with buckles in the front, which gave it a corset look. Her black skirt was mid-thigh and had tulle underneath to help poof it out. She wore a hat with a plume and black leather knee-high boots. I went as a sexy baseball player. My top looked just like a uniform, except I wore a skirt with striped knee-high socks and my favorite pair of Converse.

The music was blaring when we walked in and could already see at least half the people drunk. Alice went to talk with some people who were in her art class, and I went and chatted with Angela. She and Ben left about an hour later, leaving me to wander around by myself. I wasn't having too much fun and wanted to go home. I found Alice outside talking to some people and I told her I was going to head home.

"I'll go, too," she said and started to get out of the chair.

"No, no." I stopped her. I didn't want her to leave when she was having fun. I felt bad I couldn't be more social, but that was no reason for her to always miss out on things. "You stay here and have fun. You know these aren't my things," I said, motioning to the house. "I'm going to walk home. You call me tomorrow."

"You can't walk home alone, Bella," she protested. Before I could debate anything, I heard a familiar voice offer to walk with me. I turned around and smiled when I saw his face.

"Hey, Ryan." I grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Bella. Hey, Alice." He leaned to the side to wave at her and then looked back at me. "I can walk you home if you'd like, Bella."

"That would be great, Ryan," Alice squealed to him and then winked at me. "Bella needs a strong man to keep her safe."

"Shut up, Alice," I hissed at her attempt at matchmaker. It really wasn't her fault; as far as she knew, as far as anyone knew, I was single.

"What?" she said, faking innocence. "You don't think Ryan's strong enough for the job?"

"Yea, Bella." Ryan nudged my arm. "You don't think I could protect you?"

"I think he could protect you, Bella. If I didn't have a boyfriend, I just might have him walk me home." She laughed and then looked at me. "You're single right, Ryan?" He nodded. "Hmm… so is Bella."

"OK, Alice." I rolled my eyes at her meddling and then hooked my arm in Ryan's and turned away to avoid anymore of her comments. "Call me tomorrow, Ali."

"Don't have too much fun!" she yelled as we rounded the corner.

I released my arm from his and had to laugh at how blatantly obvious Alice was. "Sorry about that."

"No worries."

"You never did answer my question," I told him as we slowly walked down the dark street.

"I dropped my cousins off and saw you through the window and thought I'd come say hi."

"Oh." I didn't really know what else to say. "Umm… well thanks for wanting to walk with me."

"It's my pleasure." He glanced over and winked. Being the girl that I am, I blushed and let out a soft giggle. "I love it when you blush," he whispered. I wasn't sure how to respond except to blush deeper. Besides James, Ryan had been the only one to openly flirt with me. It wasn't that awkward walking with him; I knew he liked me, but I was with James and I'd never cheat on him.

Of course, Ryan was gorgeous; a person would have to be blind not to see it. He was also nice and funny; I felt comfortable around him. Maybe if I wasn't with James and my brother wouldn't blow a gasket, I would actually go on a date with him. But I couldn't even imagine not being with James; he had become my whole world. I hated every second we were apart, and I craved for the days we spent together.

Ryan and I were quiet as we walked down the street, until I was hit with that eerie feeling of being followed. I felt a presence behind me; all the blood rushed to my face and my arms stiffened. A chill went up my spine and I felt the little hairs on my arm and neck stand. My head whipped around, expecting someone to be there, but I was met with nothing… only a dark street and an empty neighborhood. I checked again and then back to my side and saw nothing.

"Hey." Ryan's voice was concerned. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, nothing." The last thing I needed was for him to think I was a psycho.

"Bella, you're shaking," he pointed out.

"I'm OK," I breathed. "I spook myself out sometimes."

"What's the matter? Did you see something?" I heard the concern in his voice and immediately felt bad. He obviously noticed the change in my behavior and started to worry.

"Have you ever had that feeling that someone was watching you?" I asked quietly and was a little relieved when he nodded his head.

"Well," I said nervously, "I keep getting the feeling that someone is following me, too."

"Seriously?"

"Yea."

"Have you noticed anyone new hanging around you lately?" His voice was laced with worry. "Like when you look up, do you see someone staring at you?"

"No… I mean, whenever I look around, I don't see anyone. It's just this feeling I get, like I know someone's there; I keep waiting for them to jump out and scare me, but nothing happens. Then I'm left feeling anxious."

I saw him look over his shoulder and move closer to me. "Is that what happened a minute ago?"

"Yea," I said quietly. His hand gripped my arm and moved me to the other side, away from the road. His arm wrapped tightly around my shoulder and he pulled me into his side. He didn't ask, he just took charge; and because I was scared, I let him do it.

"Make sure you tell Emmett when we get to your house, Bella," he instructed and walked with more vigor in his strides.

"Em's in Seattle."

I heard him growl and felt his fingers press down on my arm. "You can _not_ stay alone after what you told me."

"I'll be fine," I tried to reassure him. "I just spook myself out sometimes."

"What if it's not your imagination?" he accused. "You want to take that chance?" I knew that was a rhetorical question and I stayed quiet. "You can stay over at my place or I could take you to Alice's, but you are not going to stay alone."

"That's not necessary, Ryan," I whined. "I'm fine. I stay here alone all the time."

"Well, not tonight," he deadpanned. "If you want to go home so bad, then I'm staying there too."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ryan, you do…." I tried to object, but he interrupted.

"I'm staying, and that's the end of it, Bella. What do you think your brother would do to me if I let you stay here alone after what you told me?"

"No," I begged. "Please don't tell Emmett. He worries enough about me. If he finds out I think I'm being followed, he'll never leave town. He needs a break too… he needs to be able to get away and spend time with Rosalie and have fun with his friends. Please don't tell him, Ryan. You can stay. I'm being paranoid, don't ruin th…"

"Shh, Bella," he soothed. "I'm not going to tell him." He stopped in front of my front door and pulled me in for a hug. "I just want to make sure you're safe." I breathed a sigh of relief and let us inside.

It was still kind of early, so I suggested we watch a movie.

"Do you want popcorn or anything?" I asked on my way to get us drinks.

"Yea, that sounds good."

We settled into the couch, watching movies and talking. He was a very interesting person. He told me about his trip to Europe over the summer, all the places he went and sites he saw. He and a few of his friends took a year off college so they could travel and hang out; he said after four years of mandatory attendance, they needed a break.

Ryan turned out to be very smart; we talked a lot about our love for books. He and I seemed to have the same taste in literature. It surprised me when he began quoting poetry. He knew his stuff and I felt his passion behind the words. I apologized to him when he noticed the look on my face, because he didn't strike me as someone who wanted to major in English. I completely stereotyped him as being another baseball jock, just wanting to party it up and living carefree. That was not the case at all; he was ambitious and smart, full of goals.

Around two, I got him some blankets and a pillow for the couch and I went to bed. I checked my phone and was surprised I still hadn't heard from James; he usually called or texted before the night was finished. I climbed under the covers and started to doze off when I heard a noise outside my window.

I was hit with a feeling of panic and froze to listen closer. I waited and waited, breathing as quietly as I could, and tried to focus on the sounds outside. I heard the buzz from the power lines, the soft rustling of the leaves on the tree and the few cars that were driving on the road, but nothing else. My body started to relax and my breathing calmed down. I snuggled into the blankets, ready for sleep to overtake me, when I heard it again.

Realization hit me and a feeling of dread washed through my veins; I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming out. My heart was beating quickly and violently; my body started to sweat and the tiny hairs that covered my arms stood erect. I pulled the covers up to my chin and closed my eyes. I counted to ten in my head and opened my eyes, hoping that whatever I heard was just my mind playing tricks on me.

_Scratch, scratch, scratch_

I was not imagining anything; there was a noise, and it was coming from outside of my room. I lifted my head and looked towards the window, hoping to see a bird or tree branch. The blood quickly left my body, and I felt my breath follow suit. I was looking at a dark silhouette staring inside my window.

"Ryan!" I screamed and rushed downstairs, taking two at a time, trying to create as much distance from myself and my window as fast as I could.

"What?" He shot off the couch and ran over to the stairs, catching me as I launched myself in to his arms.

"There's someone outside my window!" I cried.

"Are you sure?" he demanded.

"Yes. I heard a noise and when I looked at the window, I saw someone there," I sobbed.

My fingers twisted in his shirt when I felt him pulling away, and I panicked. "No, don't leave, please," I begged.

"Bella, I need to go check it out," he explained. "You stay right here by the door. Don't move."

"No, don't leave me here!" I cried. "I can't be alone."

"Alright, but you stay right by me and don't make a sound, OK?"

I nodded and we walked outside together. My heart felt like it was pounding against my ribcage; my breathing was so fast I thought I might hyperventilate. We stepped onto the grass and slowly walked around the house toward my bedroom window. As we turned the corner, I screamed as loud as I could, which caused Ryan to jump back; and we watched three kids, dressed in costumes, running away and laughing out loud.

I grabbed my chest and felt my muscles unclench themselves, relieved that I wasn't dead. It took a few moments for me to control my breathing and then I lifted my head to look at Ryan. He had his head slightly turned away and I noticed his body was shaking. I instantly felt bad for scaring him and went to tell him I was sorry, but I saw that his lips were pressed together in a way to keep sound out and knew he wasn't scared at all.

The asshole was trying to stop laughing. He noticed me looking at him and straightened up right away, wiping all traces of humor from his face.

"Are you alright?" His voice was forced to stay even. I rolled my eyes.

"You can go ahead and laugh, jerk," I teased. And he did, very loudly, I might add. But it was infectious, and soon I was laughing too. We were still laughing as we walked back inside and shut the door.

"Shut up," I choked out. "You try waking up to a face outside your window."

"I know, I know." He laughed. "It's just… I mean…. your face…. Fucking punk kids, huh?" He snorted.

"Whatever." I chuckled. "Thanks for rescuing me. I'm going back to bed."

He said good night, and I again climbed the stairs to my room. I stopped in the bathroom first to wash my face and shook my head at the hilarity of the situation. It was funny; I let my mind get so carried away, I thought someone was coming to kill me. I shut the lights off and crawled back under my covers. As I was closing my eyes, I heard my phone buzz, indicating I had a text. I read the message from James, somewhat curious as to why he would send this to me now at three in the morning.

_Sleep tight_.

I texted him back, telling him I loved him and good night, before I fell asleep… still feeling a little odd about those two words.

* * *

**A/N: Good? Bad?... let me know. **

**I listened to Christina Aquilara - I turn to you, a couple times while writing this. **

**Cried a few times. She really loves her brohter. **

**The other song i recommend listening to while reading it... I laughed my ass off**

**Jimmy Soul - If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life...**

**See ya in a few days.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: How did you like the last chapter? I'll never know if you don't review.  
Well, we're moving closer to the present time.  
We still have a few more chapters but we're getting there.  
Hope you're liking the ride so far.**

**Also a huge shout out to PunkyBumpkin for your beta-ing awesomeness!**

**BPOV**

Thanksgiving came and went, bringing everyone home from college for the break. It was great having everyone together, even if it was only for a short time. James' aunt had moved before Thanksgiving, so Esme invited James over and insisted he spend all the holidays at her house from now on. It thrilled me to no end that he was welcomed by her.

James and I had been talking about finally telling Emmett about our relationship; I wanted to do it soon, but James suggested we wait a little longer. He said he wanted to build up a stronger relationship with Emmett before he told him about us, hoping that he would be more understanding then. I agreed, so we put it off until after the New Year.

I never told anyone about Ryan staying over on Halloween, and neither did he. I developed a good friendship with him that night; he was easy to talk to because we had a lot in common. He would stop by the bookstore when I was working and help sort through the old books or he'd help carry boxes to the back. Mrs. Anderson ended up hiring him on to help us when we got new shipments. He became the muscle in our little operation down at the bookstore. It was nice having him around.

I still got the creepy feeling of being followed when I was at school or on days I decided on walking to work, and I finally told James about it. He said it was probably my imagination and maybe the fact that I didn't have my normal group around at home or at school messed with my psyche. He made me promise to always carry my phone on me and stick close to Alice or Emmett.

The weeks after Thanksgiving, everyone finished their finals and came home for Christmas break. Esme planned a small party for us Christmas night and had Edward and Alice invite their friends. Her house was beautifully decorated with lights and garlands; she had the biggest tree set up in the living room and prepared a huge dinner for all of us.

Alice had a field day playing dress up with everyone. She placed instructions on the invitations that the party was a formal event and black tie required. All of us girls had gone shopping a week before and found cocktail dresses to wear to the party.

Alice had on a short, black sleeveless dress with matching stilettos. She had combed her hair down off to the side much like prom. Rosalie wore a floor-length green satin dress, which hugged every curve and turned her long blonde hair into strands of silk. I found a white halter dress with beaded empire waist and a flowing skirt that stopped just above my knees. It was classy and sexy at the same time.

The guests started to show up around seven, all bringing gifts for Esme and Carlisle. We had all done our present exchange this morning; well, James and I exchanged gifts last night.

Carlisle suggested we play Christmas music after we had finished dinner and everyone gathered in the living room. Edward, being the proficient that he was, serenaded us on the piano. I stood off to the side after we sang "Silent Night" and felt a hand grasp my elbow lightly. I glanced to my right and saw Ryan smiling down at me.

"Hey," I said and hugged him gently. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Bella." He smiled and looked up. I followed his eyes and noticed the batch of green leaves wrapped in a red ribbon hanging directly above us. I shook my head as I met his gaze.

"Did you plan this?" I teased.

"Why, is this the only way I could get a kiss?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"What makes you think I'm going to kiss you?" I joked.

"Aww, come on, Bella." He playfully tugged on my elbow. "It's tradition."

He smiled a crooked smile at me and batted his eyes like a child. I laughed softly and shook my head.

"Fine," I said in mock annoyance. "No funny business, mister."

He saluted me and then slowly brought his head down to mine. I felt his warm breath on my face before his lips touched mine gently. The kiss was soft, intimate at first; then something happened and it changed. He applied a little pressure as he tilted his head and brought his hands to my face. I felt his thumbs tracing my jaw line in a graceful way before his lips parted slightly to deepen the kiss. He slowly pulled me closer to him and suddenly his tongue was in my mouth, tasting of peppermint and cloves. The instant his tongue met mine, I knew it was time to stop. Our lips parted, and Ryan gave one last peck at the same time the room erupted in applause.

I covered my face with my hands and silently laughed through my embarrassment as everyone clapped and hollered at Ryan. I nervously looked at my brother, fearing the worst, but was surprised when I saw a huge smile on his face as he stood by a happy Rosalie.

**James POV**

_That motherfucker is dead!_

I saw him approach her and knew what he was about to do; I didn't expect to see Bella agree to a kiss. I watched as that bastard grabbed her face, and the moment his tongue snaked out, my vision was clouded in red.

_That fucking whore! How could she! She's mine! _

I was going to kill that motherfucker, and just as I stepped forward to pound his fucking face, I heard applause. Who the fuck encourages shit like that? She fucking betrayed me, and they clap? I loved her…she was the one.

I needed to get out of there before I was booked in jail for homicide. I needed to teach her a lesson, but I wouldn't be able to do it here. I had no choice but to walk away and fast. I was getting more and more pissed… he would regret ever looking at what was mine!

I hopped on my bike and raced through the streets, not bothering to slow down. I parked my bike where I always had down from her house and stood off to the side, where she never noticed, and waited until she pulled up.

That fucker almost died Halloween night, and I fucking regret not killing him then. I followed her to that party and watched as she walked away with that asshole. I was watching the whole time as he put his arm around her and walked her inside. I thought for sure she'd send him away, but she let him stay the night. I watched him scoot closer on the couch; I listened as he continued to make her laugh... I was so entranced at what I was seeing that I didn't even feel the blade of my knife cutting into my leg. The more I watched them together, the more I wanted to slit his fucking throat and teach her a lesson, remind her who she fucking belonged to.

I had started to open her window when she saw me and freaked out; I heard her yelling for _him_ and hid behind the tree, waiting as they came out. As they got closer, I pulled the knife out, ready to stab that motherfucker, when three kids came screaming towards them, saving his fucking life. After tonight, I realized they must have been sneaking around all along. She was just another lying whore, and he was as good as dead.

I would make sure she knew who she belonged to. He probably took them back to his house to fuck. Or being the slut that she was, she might have given it up in the bathroom. How could she fuck him? He made a death wish the moment his grubby little hands touched her. That fucker was dead, and if I couldn't calm down before she came back home, so was she.

**BPOV**

"Merry Christmas, Bella," Ryan whispered before he walked over and joined his friends. I glanced at Alice and shrugged my shoulders as she bounced next to Jasper.

"I knew it!" she squealed.

"It's not like that, Alice." I cut her off before she could embarrass me further. "There was mistletoe and it was only a kiss."

It was a nice kiss, actually; well, more than that, I had only ever kissed James and nothing would ever compare to him, but Ryan knew what the hell to do with his lips. Hot damn! I was so ashamed I had a reaction to that kiss. I had a boyfriend whom I loved very much and should not be feeling anything for anyone else. But it was only a kiss; nothing happened, and I pulled away before it went too far.

Alice rolled her eyes and surprised me by not saying anything else about it. I kept looking around for James but couldn't find him anywhere. I tried his cell phone, but he didn't answer or text me back. I hoped he wasn't upset if he saw that kiss, but he should trust me enough to know it was only a kiss.

By ten o'clock, I still hadn't heard from James, and after searching around the house in heels, I started to get sleepy. I said good night to everyone and promised to see them in the morning. My brother told me he was staying with Rosalie for the night and that he'd meet me back at Esme's in the morning.

"Alright, love you," I told him as I hugged him goodbye.

"Love you, too. Drive safe."

"I will."

I removed my shoes as soon as I shut my front door; my feet had been killing me for hours, but Alice insisted on heels with my dress. I seemed to be listening to her a lot when it was about my wardrobe. I wanted to always look good for James, and Alice knew everything there was to know about fashion. If she said something was cute, then I knew not to argue.

I dragged my exhausted body up the stairs and decided to call James one more time before I fell asleep. The call went straight to voicemail, which meant he had his phone off. I left him a short message telling him I loved him and to call when he checked the message, even if he thought I'd be sleeping.

Tossing my phone on the dresser, I reached behind and unzipped my dress, catching it before it pooled to the floor. I was standing by my closest in just my underwear, hanging up my gown, when James barged in screaming at me.

"You fucking liar!"

"James!" I jumped from his sudden entrance and the tone of his voice.

"In front of everybody! You had to humiliate yourself in front of everybody?" he kept accusing.

"Calm down, James," I said meekly. I never liked seeing James angry; it always scared me and left me anxious and worried about what he might do. He looked crazed and completely out of control, his face beet red, his eyes glazed and unfocused.

"You're such a slut! I picked you because you were pure. You were supposed to love me!"

"James, I do love you, but you need to stop screaming at me."

"How could you cheat on me?" he screamed in my face. He was growing more and more agitated, and I wasn't able to calm him in the slightest. His arms were waving in the air, his fist clenched tightly as he continued to scream at me.

I took a few steps back and tried to soften my voice.

"I didn't cheat on you. I would never cheat on you," I promised him. I was practically begging him to believe me.

"You did. I saw you!"

"James, it was a simple kiss. It's tradition to kiss under mistletoe… I swear it was nothing more."

"Slut!" he screamed and kept pacing back and forth, waving his fists in the air, obviously past the point of no control. I needed to calm him down before it was too late.

"Nothing else happened, James," I pleaded with him. "Calm down."

"Liar! I saw that kiss!" he screamed in my face. "You let that fucker put his tongue in your mouth…. fucking whore!"

"James, please listen to me…"

"I fucking saw it. His hands were all over you," he growled out. "I should have known…you've been fucking him the whole time, haven't you?"

"Stop!" I yelled. "You're the only person I've ever been with, and you know it."

"Huh, I thought I did, until I saw you up against him in front of EVERYBODY!"

He wouldn't let me explain anything; nothing I said was getting through to him. I was seriously scared of him when he was freaking out, but I was more hurt that he would think I could betray him.

The more he yelled and tried to shut me up, the angrier I started to get. He kept calling me names and refusing to let me explain anything. I was finally sick of trying to reason with him, so I threw my hands up in the air and screamed back.

"I am not a slut!" My voice matched his in volume. "And if you won't let me explain anything, get the hell out of my room!"

"Fuck you!" he shouted in my face. "I'm not going anywhere."

"If you doubt me so much and think I'd betray you, then there's nothing left to say. Now, LEAVE!"

His hands roughly grabbed my shoulders and yanked my body to him, leaving me no option to get away.

"You are mine, Bella!" he snarled through clenched teeth.

"No, I'm not," I spat at him. "I don't belong to anyone!"

"The fuck you don't," he sneered. "Everything about you belongs to me." I could tell he was completely out of it and I should have tried my best to calm him down, but fuck if I wasn't pissed he said those things to me.

"Not anymore," I pressed him. "If you really think I'm a slut and won't even give me the chance to explain, then it's time for you to get out."

Increasing the pressure of his grip on me, James steered me towards the middle of the room, not saying anything at first, just breathing really heavily. We stood, silently staring at each other, as our breathing came out fast and hard. I could hear the noise of his breaths exiting his nose; I saw the quick rise and fall of his chest as he stood still. I don't know why, but when I stared in those baby blue eyes of his, all full of angst and hate, a bolt of lightning shot right to my center, causing me to shudder. He was completely barbaric and feral. The way his muscles flexed with every breath he took, the glaze over his eyes, his face set like stone. Everything about him at that moment turned me on. I wanted him so badly right then.

He must have seen the change in my face, because he let go of my arms and started tearing off his shirt; the buttons went flying in different directions. His shoes went sailing through the air when he kicked them off his feet, and his pants got thrown off to the side. He was just standing there in his boxers, his massive erection trying desperately to break free, as he walked back to me.

"I'm the only one who belongs here," James barked out before he grabbed my head and forcefully attached his lips to mine. He didn't allow my tongue to enter, he just pushed my head harder into his lips, keeping us locked like that until he was ready to pull back.

"These are mine, Bella," he said as he pulled my bottom lip with his fingers. "I'm the _only_ one who gets to kiss you!"

I was so turned on, I had lost any ability to form a sentence, so I just stood there and nodded my head hastily.

"These," his hands slid up the side of my face and tugged on my ears, "only hear you scream _my_ name when your body orgasms."

His thumbs made their way up to rub small circles by the corners of my eyes. "It's _my_ face you see hovering above your body after you've been pounded into, not his."

A pair of strong hands made their way down my body, stopping at my breast. "It's _my_ mouth that gets to enjoy them." He kneaded my flesh roughly, and suddenly his mouth was on them, sucking my nipples in between his lips. He pushed them together trying desperately to pay them both the same amount of attention. His teeth were nipping away, his lips were pressing against them, and I felt his tongue lathering them up, over and over again. I couldn't stop the moan that found its way out of my throat. I felt the gush of fluid leak out of me, but I didn't care. Everything he was saying was true. I was his, in every way possible; I belonged to him.

His mouth quit its assault on my breasts, and he straightened himself back up in order to stare in my eyes. I wanted to kiss him, hug him or even just hold him; I needed some kind of contact with his body, but the look in his eyes kept me where I stood. I felt his fingers ghosting down my body; one hand made the journey to the small of my back, forcing my body to his, while the other hand made the voyage to my soaking wet panties. My breathing was coming out in heavy pants as I waited anxiously for his beautiful fingers to make their attack on my sensitive nub.

I didn't have to wait long, and in an instant, he had two fingers pumping into me furiously. If he wasn't holding me to him, I would have fallen the second he made contact. I could do nothing but moan as he moved in and out of me. The feel of our combined sweat mixing on my chest, the heat of his fingers inside me, and the look in his eyes while he pumped in me slammed my body with a mind altering orgasm; I swear I almost passed out. I collapsed my full weight against him and tried to regain my breath.

As I started to pull away from him, he brought his fingers out of me, covered with my juices, and shoved them into his mouth. I watched, still panting from my orgasm, as he licked every last drop off before removing them from his lips, never breaking eye contact with me.

"I'm the only one that will ever know how you taste, Bella." He grabbed my face in his hands roughly and crushed our mouths together; kissing me with everything he had in him.

"You do belong to me, Bella. Every way that you are, everything that you do, you belong to me. You are _mine_."

"James?"

"I won't share you ... not even a little," he rasped out.

I shivered visibly.

He waited, staring me down, then leaned back at my lack of response. He went eerily still for about five seconds, and then he bent down and scooped me up in his arms. I didn't resist; I let him pick me up and drop me onto the bed.

There would be nothing gentle about this, and I felt a fissure of excitement race up my spine when I saw him naked and towering over me. He looked feral, wild and beautiful. My blood sang with excitement.

This was a claiming. He was going to mark his territory. I was more than ready. I slid up into the center of the bed and lay back, waiting to see what he would do.

He pounced, straddling my legs and bending down to crush his mouth over mine. I opened my lips immediately and felt his hot, wet tongue slide into my mouth. He groaned and deepened the kiss, our teeth clashing together. He explored all the crevices of my mouth, his big hands skimming over every part of my body that he could reach. He rubbed my legs, squeezed my breasts, and rubbed my earlobes between his thumbs and forefingers. When we needed oxygen, he finally broke the kiss, panting wildly. Without warning, he slid back and lowered his head. His mouth covered one nipple and his fingers pinched the other simultaneously. I cried out and arched my back, pushing my breast into his face.

He wasn't gentle. He sucked hard and nipped at it, causing me to flinch at the pleasure/pain. My nipple swelled up, hard as a pebble, aching and sending a shot of pure pleasure to my sex. He lifted his head and I smiled at him. He raked his eyes up and down my torso. My sex was throbbing.

I glanced down his body and I couldn't hold back a moan as he knelt there and deliberately grabbed his cock. He began to stroke it from root to tip, smearing his pre-cum over the tip with his thumb and stroking again. He grabbed a condom from my side table and rolled it on. His full weight crushed me down to the mattress as he rolled over to me and slid his forearms under my shoulders. I moaned as he ground his granite erection into my juncture.

He rocked it over my clit and I cried out. I was whimpering and I could hear my own heart pounding, deafening me to all other sounds. I wanted him so badly I was ready to scream. Instead, I began babbling, begging him to stop teasing me.

**James POV**

I felt wild and out of control. I'd always been gentle with Bella, but right now that was impossible. I was still angry over the anguish she'd caused me. I felt a need to brand her, to even hurt her a little like she'd hurt me, as if that would somehow pay me back for the pain she'd caused me. I wanted her to know whom she belonged to now.

My cock head was lodged between her soaking lips. It felt hard enough to snap. I lost it and shoved into her, shouting out as I felt her hot walls surround me. "Ahhh, God, so tight, Bella!"

I started tunneling up her cunt in short jabbing strokes, each thrust gaining more ground, building pressure in her petite body. She wailed and quivered underneath me. She pulled on my shoulders, urging me forward.

Her mouth opened on a mute scream, but no noise came out. Her eyes were wide with surprise, arousal, and a touch of pain. It made me wild and I felt my cock harden a little more, unaware that it was even possible.

I lowered my head and sucked hard on the pulse at the base of her neck, wanting to mark her. I felt her pussy gush with warmth, and she raised her hips. I sank deeper, pressing up against her cervix. Our bodies burned for each other as I guided my cock back out until just the head was enclosed. Then I roughly sank back into her.

We groaned together.

**BPOV**

He started to thrust and the pleasure was mind-blowing. I'd never felt anything like this. I don't know if it was because our first time was slow and romantic and the other times had always been gentle, but this time felt like a completely different person was inside me.

I could feel the cock-head stab my cervix. He had never impaled me so deeply before, and I cried out in passion again and again. He was possessing me, and I didn't care. Everything about me was his. His mouth sucked harshly on my neck and his teeth dragged over my tender skin, ratcheting my arousal even higher. I groaned again, unwilling to form any words at this point.

There was no warning. One minute, I was enjoying his cock sliding in and out of me, and the next, I was screaming out loudly as my orgasm ripped through my body. It was a total meltdown. I felt like my brain was melting. Wave after endless wave crashed through me, feeding the eruption between my legs with constant energy.

"I'm coming so fucking hard, James!"

The intensity of my orgasm was so powerful it almost drove me into unconsciousness. Waves of pleasure raced through me, enveloping my whole body from the tips of my toes to every strand of my hair. I saw lights flashing behind my eyelids, and then the room faded in and out. I couldn't form a coherent thought anymore. I only knew I was babbling gibberish.

He was still battering my burning cunt like a jackhammer.

**James POV**

My heart sang as I heard her scream that she was coming. I hadn't needed the confirmation. Her whole body was shaking with the power of her orgasm. If that wasn't enough, the force with which her pussy was clenching around my cock was incredible.

Her cunt muscles worked furiously on my embedded shaft, gripping my cock as she milked it without mercy. Bumping into her taut cervix and feeling it pinch the sensitive head of my cock with every blow delayed my impending orgasm for a long time. It was like magic, keeping me near the edge but not close enough to go over.

I just pumped and pumped and pumped. She would recede, panting and flushed. Moments later she would erupt again, quivering and quaking beneath me, her head tossing to and fro on the pillow.

I fucked her relentlessly, adrenaline serving me well.

"Does he fuck you like this?" I ground out. "Huh? Does Ryan... pound ... your tight ... little pussy ... like this? HUH?" I screamed, sinking my cock to the hilt with every hard thrust. I wanted to burn the memory of his touch out of her brain. "He's dead, you know… the moment… he touched… what was mine…. he was fucking dead."

She began sobbing and croaked out between thrusts. "I ... never ... fucked ... him!" Her hands ran over my back, trying to gentle me.

_LIAR!_ I screamed to myself, unwilling to believe that she had stayed true. I screamed and reared back, hooking her knees over my elbows and leaned back down, bending her in half. Her knees nearly touched the bed; her muscular thighs were spread so wide she yelped in discomfort until I began to stroke into her again.

"Ah yeah, baby. You belong to me! This body belongs to ME!" I bellowed, finally feeling my balls tingle and pull up tight against my shaft.

I retreated slightly and took the pinching pressure off my cock head and immediately felt blood surge in my shaft to the point of pain. I howled, "MINE!"

She sobbed. "James, no one but you! I swear no one else!"

She was saying there'd been no one else, meaning she didn't fuck him. I looked into her eyes, feeling her sobs wrack her tiny body even as she came a final time, her confession breaking my rage and causing my own release to follow hers.

I collapsed on top of her, panting like I'd run a marathon. She grunted and I slid to the side, feeling my softening penis pull out of her. Feeling our sweat cooling, I pulled the covers over us and spooned up behind her.

I could see the purple bruises forming on her throat and smiled. I wanted everyone to see my mark on her. She was mine now, and God help the sorry motherfucker that tried to take her away from me. She was mine, my soul mate, and no one was ever going to threaten our relationship again.

I buried my nose in her hair and whispered, "Mine."

She grunted softly and snuggled her ass back into my pelvis and responded sleepily. "Yes, it's all yours."

"All of it," I seethed. "Everything about you is mine, remember?"

"I remember. You have it all, James. I promise. I swear, I never slept with him."

"You're fucking lucky for that," I whispered against her head.

"I love you, James," she cried softly. "And I'm so sorry… please don't hate me."

My mouth met her swollen lips and we kissed lovingly until her sobs broke the connection.

"Please don't hurt Ryan, James," she cried. I tensed at her words and pulled back to stare at her face.

"What's it fucking matter to you?" I was angry again. She shouldn't care about that little prick; she should be worried about me, not him.

"He doesn't know about you and me. I promise that if he knew we were together he would never have kissed me." Her eyes pleaded with me to understand. "That's why we need to tell my brother about us, James. Once everyone knows you're my boyfriend, we won't have any more problems."

I sighed heavily; now was not the time I wanted to think about that. "Baby, we will tell him. It's just not the right time yet."

"Soon?" Her voice sounded so small.

"Yes, soon, baby." I wrapped my arms around her small frame and held her until she was asleep. Tomorrow I would make love to her slowly and sweetly, but tonight she needed to be reminded of who she belonged to. I wasn't sure what to do about that sorry motherfucker, but I knew he was going to be hurting soon. I just needed to find a way to do it without my angel finding out. Different scenarios of me beating his ass played through my head before my eyes grew heavy and I fell asleep.

**BPOV **

James and I spent the rest of the week together, apologizing profusely in between our lovemaking; we both fucked up. In no way should I have kissed another guy and thought it was acceptable because of some stupid plant. I had a lot of making up to do, even though James repeatedly told me he forgave me. I felt horrible for making him go through that torture; if I had been the one to witness him kiss a girl… I would have died. Just the mere thought of some girl with her tongue in his mouth made me nauseous. We both were working through it, though.

He told me at least five times everyday how sorry he was for the things he said to me and how he acted; he promised to never do it again. I forgave him that night. It was my stupid behavior that caused him to act like that; I knew he would never hurt me otherwise. We were both in the wrong, but we forgave each other and were able to move forward.

New Year's Eve was here and James and I spent all morning together. I was extremely bummed he had to go back to Seattle and wouldn't be able to go to the party, but he had to go talk to someone about a job. He wanted to move out of the dorms and get his own place before he told Emmett about us, so that job interview was really important and he couldn't get out of it. I understood and wished him good luck before he drove off.

I met Alice at five and we started to prepare for the biggest party of the year. The Hales and the Cullens were hosting it and went completely overboard with decorations. The place looked incredible. Everything was covered in lights and tinsel, and there were party favors on every table. Hats, tiaras, and necklaces with "Happy New Year" written on them were scattered throughout the room. A huge banner in the dance hall read, "Hello 2007 Goodbye 2006"; I couldn't have agreed more.

Rosalie came and joined Alice and me around six; she was pretty much ready except for her dress and shoes, so she offered to do my hair. I wanted it down because it was less fuss that way, but with my dress, they both insisted on a loose up-do, only a few bobby pins to hold it in place. As long as it wouldn't take hours to comb out I was okay with it. Rosalie worked her magic and had the last pin ready to put in my hair, when she froze and let out a loud gasp. Alice and I jumped and looked at her in confusion.

"Bella," she said accusingly. Her eyes were wide open and staring at me in shock.

"What?" I asked, a little concerned.

"Is that a hickey on your neck?"

All the oxygen left the room as my head whipped around to stare in the mirror. Sure enough, a little behind my right ear was, in fact, a hickey. I had completely forgotten James left one during our very intense make-out session before he left. The one from Christmas night had faded and James wanted to darken it again; I hadn't even been thinking about tonight, though.

"Shit," I muttered as I looked up to see two sets of wide eyes staring back at me.

"Bella Swan, spill!" Alice demanded. "Who gave you a hickey?"

"Well… umm… you see…" I felt my face heat under their gaze.

"It was Ryan, huh?" Rosalie blurted out and smiled. "I knew it… I knew it."

"Me, too!" Alice squealed. "I told Jasper you two were going to end up together."

"Oh my god, Bella," Rosalie swooned. "He is so cute. Good job."

"They totally make a cute couple, just look at the…"

I sat there and listened to them going back and forth, neither confirming nor denying their assumption. I decided it was a lot safer for James and me if I let them think it was Ryan. Rosalie finished with my hair and we began getting into our dresses.

"So, is he a good kisser?" Rosalie inquired mildly.

I bit my lip and felt my face heat up once again. I had only kissed him once, but it was honestly a great kiss.

"Look at that blush, Rosalie, he is so a good kisser."

"You guys, please stop," I whined. I needed them to stop before it got too carried away.

"What's the matter? I'd be screaming it from the rooftop," Alice squeaked.

"My brother, that's what's the matter." I raised my eyebrows at them both. "So, please, just keep this between us."

"Emmett is not going to freak out anymore. He saw you guys on Christmas and not once did he say anything to him. Why would he freak out over a hickey? Unless…"

"Bella?" they both asked suspiciously.

"What?... No!" I shouted when I realized what they were asking. "No, we haven't done anything more than kiss…" I cocked my head to the side. "Well, except he kind of stayed over on Halloween, but he slept on the couch."

"Oh. My. God!" Alice screamed in excitement. "He stayed after he walked you home?"

"Yes, now will you shut up?" I hissed playfully.

"What?" Rosalie asked. "Fill me in, I wasn't here."

I explained to them what happened, minus the scary parts, and asked them to please keep it to themselves. They both agreed but insisted on not hiding it from anyone. The conversation finally drifted off of me and we started to get dressed.

Alice, Rosalie and I picked out the same dress except for a few differences. They all were satin and hugged our curves nicely, accentuating our best features. Rosalie's was black and strapless where mine and Alice's both had tiny straps over our shoulder, but hers was a deep purple and ended at the knee while mine was a midnight blue and floor-length like Rosalie's. I felt we pulled it off nicely.

We headed downstairs for dinner around eight and quickly found the table with our place cards. The room was packed with people talking and laughing. I was relieved when the food was brought out and quieted everyone down some.

Mrs. Hale hired a DJ and the music started as soon as plates were empty. I danced with a numerous amount of people; most of them I didn't even remember their names. There were some who I had recognized from school, but the majority I had never seen before.

A few times a hand ventured too low on my back or a face came too close to mine, and each time Edward was there to intervene before I could feel too uncomfortable. I thanked him and finally told him he was stuck as my dancing partner for the rest of the night. He didn't seem to mind at all; we grew up dancing together and felt more relaxed dancing with each other than with anyone else. I wasn't in the mood to be felt up or hit on, and I welcomed Edward's presence; I hadn't seen a lot of him since he left for college, and tonight gave us a chance to catch up.

"Do you want something to drink, Bella?" Edward asked.

I saw people grab their party favors and then move toward the dance floor. There was a huge screen hanging from a wall next to the DJ that had a huge clock counting down, showing we had six more minutes.

"Yea, but hurry up. We got like a few minutes before we start counting down."

"Okay, miss bossy." I stuck my tongue out at him before he smiled and walked away.

"_Alright, everybody, we have time for one more song before we welcome in 2007_!" The DJ shouted the last part over the microphone and people screamed with him. "_Grab that special someone and head to the dance floor. I'm gonna slow it up so you can keep them close for the countdown_."

"May I have this dance?" A steady tone asked from my left.

I recognized that voice immediately and smiled as I turned to meet his eyes. "Of course."

As my right hand folded into his left, he placed them between us against his chest. My other hand rested on the back of his neck as his right arm hugged my waist and pulled me closer to him. We smiled together and he began to lead as the words flowed through the speakers.

_She's a yellow pair of running shoes  
A holey pair of jeans  
She looks great in cheap sunglasses  
She looks great in anything  
She's I want a piece of chocolate  
Take me to a movie  
She's I can't find a thing to wear  
Now and then she's moody_

His eyes were gazing at me intently as he continued to guide me through the song.__

She's a Saturn with a sunroof  
With her brown hair a-blowin  
She's a soft place to land  
And a good feeling knowing  
She's a warm conversation  
That I wouldn't miss for nothing  
She's a fighter when she's mad  
And she's a lover when she's loving

And she's everything I ever wanted  
And everything I need  
I talk about her, I go on and on and on  
because she's everything to me

He brought his head down so our foreheads were touching and he wrapped his arm tighter around my waist, eliminating the space between us.  
_  
She's a Saturday out on the town  
And a church girl on Sunday  
She's a cross around her neck  
And a cuss word 'cause it's Monday  
She's a bubble bath and candles  
Baby come and kiss me  
She's a one glass of wine  
And she's feeling kinda tipsy_

I could feel his warm breath against my face and realized he was singing the song. __

She's the giver I wish I could be  
And the stealer of the covers  
She's a picture in my wallet  
Of my unborn children's mother  
She's the hand that I'm holding  
When I'm on my knees and praying  
She's the answer to my prayer  
And she's the song that I'm playing

She's the voice I love to hear  
Someday when I'm ninety  
She's that wooden rocking chair  
I want rocking right beside me  
Every day that passes  
I only love her more  
Yeah, she's the one  
That I'd lay down my own life for

I chose to not read into it, because it seemed as if he didn't even know he was doing it; or maybe I just wanted to convince myself that he was only singing along with the song, he wasn't necessarily singing to me. __

And she's everything I ever wanted  
And everything I need  
She's everything to me  
Yeah she's everything to me

Everything I ever wanted  
And everything I need  
She's everything to me  
Yeah she's everything to me  
everything to me

.

.

**.**

**?POV**

I had never seen the tender curve of her neck before tonight... even though I had been near her many times, when she pulled her hair up on top of her head... but I had never seen her in quite that way.

I had never noticed the way her eyes seemed to have absorbed every glimmer from the midnight sky... even though she has stood right in front of me at night, several times in my life... but I had never noticed.

I had never counted the many different strands of silk on her head, each a slightly different color than its mate, the light causing the richness of the colors to emerge... even though I had stood beside her in the brightness of many days... but I had never counted.

I had never experienced the touch of her lips on me, those full rosy lips, which held a promise of heat and of every fantasy fulfilled... even though she had touched me with those lips, in several different ways... but I had never been able to experience the heat she could ignite with a passionate kiss.

All that she was, the very essence of her, what she had always been... but I had never noticed her, felt her, in quite that way. Perhaps I'd been deluding myself; perhaps I was not meant, until that very moment in my knowing of her, to see her in that light. I may not have been ready to accept the responsibility of knowing her, of knowing that side of her, the small curve of her upper lip not yet prepared to receive a kiss of any magnitude from me... the blue of her dress not yet revealing the strong contrast in those lovely eyes, which finally look upon me with something more substantial than just friendship and vague affection.

And I could only marvel at my comprehensive blindness, all those years of not seeing her, really seeing her as anything more than a sister type, even though in my heart I knew it was so much more... of not acting upon whatever prickle of wanting and of desire I may have experienced, when I gazed or spoke to her about such mundane topics, when I should have just been on my knees begging her to love me... and the wasted days and months and years of postponing the inevitable—the ultimate downfall of my heart.

I would give up the most vital aspects of my life to be able to act upon that awareness, right now... for she stood before me, clad in blue; mocha-haired vision with eyes reflecting each glittery shimmer from the lights; dewy rose-petal skin and lips so pinkly sweet no lipstick could do them justice; skin softer than a sigh, and tender nape revealed by the upswept hair pinned on top of her head.

Too lovely to be real, but she was... as real as the man standing next to her—me, arm around her shoulder, face turned to her and smiling at her—who invaded her deepest personal space and seemed so much an extension of her body, so close we stood beside each other.

Flakes of confetti littered her dark hair; more flakes resided in a puddle at our feet. Somewhere in my addled brain, I heard the voice across the room, counting backwards; it seemed as though the numbers were mocking me. Suddenly, I wished that turning back the hands of time could be as simple as counting numbers backwards.

If it was as easy as that... then perhaps I could take both of us back several months ago... before she found him and gave up on me, gave up on the hope that I would ever declare myself to her... gave up on the need to hear me tell her of my trust and make her believe in my love for her, unbeknownst to her...

Before she decided to go out into the world and get a real life, with a man who could give her what I was only now beginning to realize I had in abundance for her—but it was too late. The small, purplish colored hickey set behind her ear told me, mockingly, just how late it was for me. The voice, still counting backwards, repeated the refrain, one I had heard before and was sure would always remind me of what I never noticed... until now:

"Five... Four... Three... Two... ONE...! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

I smiled lovingly down at the creature who had captured my heart.

"Happy New Year, Bella," I whispered adoringly.

Her beautiful brown eyes stared back into mine, a smile forming on her lips.

"Happy New Year, Edward."

And then slowly I brought my head down, brushing my lips softly against hers before closing the small gap between our mouths. I wanted to convey all my love for her in that kiss and hold her there until she saw the truth. I wanted her to experience the passion I could ignite in her, show her how good I could make her feel. If I just told her how much she meant to me, I knew it'd be alright…

Except I couldn't.

I was too late.

So it took everything I had in me to pull back from her and hide the pain that slashed inside of me. She was smiling up at me when I opened my eyes, her frame still cradled against my chest. I looked down at her and returned the smile, savoring everything about the moment.

**A/N: A little peak into EPOV  
Leave me your thoughts.  
The song is She's Everything – Brad Paisley  
one of my favorites.  
Don't forget to click the review button  
Love it? Hate it?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Sorry about the long wait for an update.  
There was a death in the family and I had to leave town.  
I already had this written but needed to fix some things.  
Hope you like it.  
**

**January 2007  
BPOV**

School had started again and I wasn't able to see much of James. He had called after New Years and told me he got the job and would be working swing shift five nights a week. I was extremely happy for him, I knew it made him feel better to be working but I was also a little sad because he wouldn't be able to come down that much anymore. I missed him like crazy, I had only seen him twice this month and it was already the 27th. We talked almost every night at first, but then as the month drug on the calls began to lessen.

I stayed busy with school work and volunteered more at the bookstore, helping to pass the time in between his visits. On the weekends that James couldn't come down I'd stay over with Alice. She and I had a lot of fun during our little slumber parties. Some weekends we would invite other girls over and we'd rent movies, play games and even dress up; Alice was turning me into a total girl. I couldn't complain though, it was a lot of fun and we were becoming friends with some pretty cool girls from school.

That was how I spent the next three weeks of school, homework, bookstore, Alice's. James had been really busy at work and couldn't call me as much as he used to. Even his text seemed to have dwindled down. I felt bad for him because they were working him so much, but James said it was just another step closer to him having his own place and we'd finally be able to tell Emmett.

Valentine's Day was very sad for me. Emmett was gone with Rosalie for the weekend so I had planned a romantic dinner with candles and music for James and me. About an hour before he was supposed to have shown up he called to tell me they called him into work. To say I was crushed would be an understatement. I worked so hard getting the place ready and spent all day cooking our dinner, I even dressed up for him.

He felt bad of course and when I started crying he told me he'd tell his boss to fuck off and he'd be here in a couple hours.

"No!" I cried into the phone. As much as I had wanted him here that night, I couldn't let him quit. "I can't let you do that baby. I'm just bummed you can't be here."

"No, Bella," he said. "I'm coming, this job ain't worth it. I'll find another one."

"Its fine, sweetie," I sobbed lightly. "We can do it again next weekend. Plus, I'm on my period so it wouldn't have been that much fun." I teased to help lighten the situation.

I convinced him to stay and told him we'd find a way to have another romantic night. He promised that he would be here next weekend and when we hung up I cried my eyes out. I didn't want him to have to quit but I had planned such a great night for us and it had been ruined. He text me all night long, and called me every day the next week, promising he'd see me on Saturday. I couldn't wait.

**February 23****rd**** 2007**

Emmett left for Seattle Friday night and James was going to be showing up somewhere around noon. We planned a day for the beach, and thankfully it hadn't been too cold when I woke up. As soon as James walked through the door I attacked him with a fury I didn't know I had possessed. I missed him so much and couldn't wait any longer, I needed him right then.

We tore at our clothes and clawed at whatever flesh we could find on each other. My legs wrapped around his after he rid me of my pants and he carried me up the stairs. My hands were in his hair, my teeth were on his neck and I ground my soaked panties against the bulge protruding through his boxers.

"Slow down, baby," he calmly spoke. "We have all night."

"I… know… I just… missed… you… so … much," I mumbled through my assault on his neck.

"I love you, Bella."

He spoke again, so quiet and soft that had if it not been for the warm breath I felt on my neck, I may not have even known, his touch once again telling me to slow down. Fuck that!

"Bel-" was as far as he got, as far as I would let him get.

I took his mouth with my own, seeking his tongue. I focused all my energy on him letting myself enjoy the feel of his bare skin under my fingertips. He was hesitant at first, but I urged him on with my own touch. With his shirt and jeans already in a rumpled pile on the floor, all I had to worry about was his boxers, which I promptly removed. Chills ran through me as I heard his sharp intake of breath as I wrapped my hand around his shaft.

His kiss became more urgent, rough even, and I felt the wet heat between my legs increase. I slid my panties down my legs and stepped out of them as he worked on my bra. We broke apart, our heavy breathing the only discernable sound in the room. Our gaze on each other remained steady and unwavering; even as I felt his hands cover my breasts. He kneaded my flesh gently, his palms always in contact with my suddenly erect nipples. I let my head fall back and pushed my body into his, begging for more contact. His lips assaulted my neck as I did so, kissing and sucking in all the right places. A gasp escaped my lips when I felt his teeth next, biting my flesh, and then alternately licking the same spots, over and over.

Thank God we were right next to my bed because I couldn't wait any longer. I took the initiative, something I had never done before during sex, and pushed him down onto the soft comforter, falling down directly on top of him. His eyes were hooded with desire as he watched me straddle him, my knees landing on either side of his torso. I took him in my hand again and stroked him gently; the small drops of pre-cum dampening my hand.

"Jesus, Bella," he hissed and bucked his hips under me.

Part of me wanted to take him in my mouth then, fully and completely. But my throbbing center, hovering over his erection, was screaming out for release and in one swift movement, I removed my hands and plunged down onto him.

I swear I heard the angels sing, his bare skin mixed with my heat was fucking euphoric.

His hands immediately went to my waist, grabbing possessively and grinding me down even further onto him. I hunched over, placing my hands on his shoulders for support as I began to rock my hips slowly. His breathing started becoming ragged already and as I watched his face contort tighter and tighter, I knew he was already close to his climax.

"James," I whispered, slowing my movements to a halt. "Open your eyes."

He did as I said, though with some effort, and I stared down into those blue depths for an everlasting moment. Oh, how I loved this man, more than I ever thought possible.

He turned serious in the next instant, however, and a shiver ran through my body as one of his hands moved to where we were joined. His thumb found that most sensitive of areas on my body and massaged the bundle of nerves, flooding me with even more sensations.

"I wanna see you come, Bella," he said quietly, urgently.

At his insistence I began to move on top of him again, slow at first and leading, inevitably, to a fast pace. I rose up until he was almost completely free of me and then pounded down again until he was completely sheathed. It wasn't long before I felt the tingle in my abdomen that signaled my release was near. I could tell that he was close as well. With a few more thrusts, I came, my body literally feeling as though it were going to explode with pleasure. At the same instant, I felt his body go rigid beneath me and his fingers digging into my skin. A guttural moan escaped his lips and we rode out our orgasms together, rocking our hips against each other.

When I finally had the strength, I pried my limp body off of his and fell next to him on the bed. He pulled me to him instantly, my back pressed against his stomach. One of his arms wrapped around my waist, the other rested just above my head and I let my eyes close as I felt his hand reach down and brush the hair off of my forehead. He continued to pet me like that, slowly and languidly, and I allowed myself to drift off into contented sleep.

We made love all weekend, never once making it to the beach or out of the house for that matter. It was bittersweet saying goodbye to him Sunday, but he promised he would make it down here more often. I had offered to drive up there and we could rent a motel but he quickly dismissed it.

"No!" I jumped slightly from the alarm in his voice. His face softened immediately after seeing my surprise. "I mean… I just don't want you to have to drive that far."

"It's not that far, James," I sighed. "I don't mind doing it every now and then if it means we can be together."

"I know," he wrapped me in his arms and kissed my cheek. "But I'll worry the whole time you're driving and I think it'd just be better if I come here."

"Ok," I whispered into his chest. "I love you."

"I love you too. But I better head out now if I want to miss rush hour." He gave me a lingering kiss before we pulled apart and I watched him drive away.

**March 9****th****, 2007**

Alice and I had been in my car for almost seven hours and I couldn't wait to get home. We were going to go to a concert in Portland but it had been rained out, giving us no other option but to turn around. We were going to stay the night in a hotel but decided to cancel the reservation and drive back instead, it was still early enough.

"You want me to take you to your car first?" Alice asked as we entered Forks.

"No, you can just drop me off and get me tomorrow," I told her through a yawn. "I really want to go to sleep."

"Ok, well I'm going to stay with Jazz tonight, he texted earlier and said everyone came down for the weekend."

As we rounded the corner we could tell that there was party going on and it seemed that my house was hosting it. There were a few people outside laughing together and waved to us as we pulled in and I opened the door.

"Jazz didn't mention a party, Bella, sorry."

"Its fine, but nobody better be in my room," I laughed and told her good bye.

"Is Emmett in there?" I asked one of the girls outside as Alice drove away.

"Yea, if not, he's out back with the keg."

As I strolled through the door, I was immediately surrounded with college students yelling and carrying red cups throughout the house. I walked into the kitchen and saw Rosalie talking to a few girls.

"Hey, some party," I teased.

"We are so busted," she laughed with me. "We thought you were going to be gone."

"Yea, it got rained out," I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm gonna head upstairs before someone tries to make out in my room."

"I'll let Emmett know your back."

"K, love you," I called over my shoulder.

I walked up the stairs and was about to open my bedroom door when a noise caught my attention. I followed the sound to the hall bathroom and saw two people going at it on my bathroom counter. I cringed slightly and went to close the door, since apparently they forgot to do that but froze as I heard an all too familiar voice.

.God.

The site I was looking at slammed my heart into my throat. I felt sick. My entire body started to shake uncontrollably and I was on the verge of passing out. I wanted to run away and never be seen from again. I suddenly felt less than nothing and the despair that ran through my body threatened to knock me down, choking me as I watched the scene take place.

Her skirt was shoved up to the top of her thighs, her legs wrapped around him, one of her hands grabbed on to his waist, thin pale fingers from her other hand clawed frantically at his neck, while she arched her back against his assault. I heard his ragged breathes and her carnal moaning as he slammed into her violently. Sadness crushed down against my chest as I watched both of his hands take hold of her face and pull her head into his for a kiss. That was an act he had done to me several times, he always said it was a way of showing his love for me. I felt numb, and the moment their lips touched, tears sprang to my eyes and I was no longer able to contain the sob that had been building in my throat.

"Oh god…" it came out broken and quiet but was loud enough to interrupt their moment. The same time their heads whipped around to the look in the direction where the sound had come from, Ryan's voice shouted from behind me.

"Dammit, James, close the fucking door why don't ya," his arm reached around my stilled body to slam the door shut.

I heard James shout my name from behind the closed door the same time my brothers booming voice called for me as his heavy feet clomped up the stairs. Reality of the situation hit me full force and I quickly darted into my bedroom, Ryan trailing behind me. I felt dizzy, I felt like I was being suffocated and with barely enough time to grab the trash can by my bed, the little dinner Alice and I had moments earlier, came back up with a vengeance.

Each heave from my body felt as if my heart was being ripped out piece by piece. The image of his hands on someone else, had the contents of my stomach emptied quickly leaving me to painfully dry-heave. I had been a fool. Everything made so much sense. The distance between us, the lack of phone calls and visits. I was blind to it all. I ignored every sign, every gut feeling that something bad was going on, I dismissed it all because I was in love. I was so naïve, so pathetic to think someone like him could actually love someone like me. It was all too good to be true, I was just some stupid, manipulative _kid_ who fell for the lies.

As my body calmed and stopped dry-heaving I became aware of several people in my bedroom all talking amongst themselves.

"What the hell happened to her?" My brother asked and I realized he was rubbing my back.

"I'm ok, Em," I croaked out. My throat felt sore and dry after my purging.

"Hey," his voice was quiet and concerned. "You sick or something, Belly Bear?"

I lifted my head enough to make eye contact and give him a tiny smile. "I'm ok, brother. I think I might have ate something bad." I lied.

"What are you doing home? I thought you were going to be gone all weekend."

Before I could answer…

"Bella!" James shouted through the hallway. "Bella!" I saw his head search frantically around trying to find something until his eyes landed on mine, sucking the air from lungs with each step closer to me. I felt like I was going to puke again and quickly closed my eyes.

"Bella…" his voice begged. "I'm so fucking sorry…. Shit!"

I squirmed in my brothers arms and buried my head into his chest trying to drown out the sound of his voice. The bed shifted on the other side of me and I stiffened, thinking it was James, he was the last person I wanted touching me. I was seconds away from pushing him off of me when I heard Edward's soothing voice asking me if I was alright and felt his gentle hands coaxing my fingers to loosen their hold on my blanket.

"Why are you apologizing?" My brother asked cautiously. "What the hell did you do to my baby sister?"

"I… Fuck... she saw… Bella, I am so sorry," he voice was pleading with me to forgive him.

_Was I really so pathetic he believed I could forgive him? Yes, I was that pathetic, honestly._ Hearing the remorse in his voice had me aching to touch him. The only thing I wanted in that moment was for him to wrap me in his arms and tell me he'd never do it again. I wanted his hands on me, holding me, comforting me. I wanted his lips to kiss mine, to feel our breath mix together. I wanted him to make love to me and help me forget what he had just done. That's what I wanted… but that's not what was going to happen.

I didn't want anyone to see me break down, I had no excuse if I started to cry. I needed to get out of the house fast so I assembled every ounce of strength I could muster from my body and tried to speak as evenly as possible, not wanting to sound broken and weak, even though that was exactly how I was feeling. I lifted my head off my brother's chest and willed my lips to give a small smile.

"It's ok, Em…. I'm ok."

"Are you sure? You don't look like your ok."

"I just saw James and some redhead going at it in our house," my voice was calm, indifferent. "It grossed me out a little, Em, but I'm ok."

My brother closed his eyes, shook his head and took a deep breath before looking over at James.

"I told you and Victoria not in my house, asshole," Emmett told him, clearly agitated. "It's bad enough I have to watch that shit with the two of you every time we party in Seattle, but now you subjected my baby sister to witness that shit."

_Did Emmett just say every time they were in Seattle?_

Several things happened at once.

It felt as if I had just been kicked in the chest and the air was stolen from my lungs. My heart stopped beating and dropped into my stomach. I felt bile slowly making its way up my throat the same time James covered his face with both hands obviously pissed his cover was blown. Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder and whispered softly so only I could hear.

"You really liked him, huh?" His comment caught me off guard and I stared at him wide eyed. "I can tell from your reaction, Bella. You really liked him." His beautiful face was frowning slightly as if it pained him to admit that. I didn't want him knowing what he obviously knew; I was going to have to lie. I didn't want anyone to find out about James and me… ever.

After everything James had said to me, the fights we had, his moments of being jealous and occasionally hurting me, I overlooked them all. I felt foolish, not only did the love of my life betray me, but he did it in my own house. I took a deep breath and tried to not feel guilty as I lied to one of the most important people in my life.

"No, Edward," my voice was firm and loud enough for the entire room to hear. "Did I expect to see James and some chic screwing in my bathroom? No." I glanced over to James and held his gaze as I continued to talk, wanting him to know I was talking to him. "But it's done, it's over with. I'm grossed out by what I saw but I'll be ok."

"You sure, Bella," Edward asked.

I nodded my head and turned to face him. "I've just been in a car for almost seven hours and would really like to get some sleep. So when I come home to a house full of people and walk in on… what I walked in on… it shook me up a little, that's all." I hated lying to people especially Edward and my brother but it's what needed to be done. I needed to pretend a little while longer.

"I can tell everyone to leave, Belly Bear," my brother walked over and stood in front of me.

"No, Em," I shook my head. "Don't stop the party, please. I'll just go stay over at Alice's tonight." Emmett pulled me off the bed and into a hug before he mumbled what a jackass James was, understatement really.

"Crap," I muttered. "I left my car over at her house, is anyone sober enough to drive me?" I looked at my brother and Emmett.

"I'll drive you, Bella," James offered quickly.

"Umm, no thanks. You stay here with your girlfriend." I tried to keep the bitterness out of my tone but my skin crawled with the thought of being alone and in that close of proximity to him, for even just a short car ride.

"I'm pretty sure she's seen enough of you, jackass," my brother quipped.

"Got that right," I mumbled to myself.

"I can drive her," he deadpanned. "I really need to apologize."

Before I could object Ryan cut in glaring away at James. "Actually, James, you had those shots earlier." I saw a scowl on his face before he turned to me. "I'm completely sober so I can drive you, Bella."

"Thank you, Ryan."

"Hey, baby, where'd you go?" A very nasally voice asked from my doorway. I could tell she had moved to his side and tried as hard as I could to keep my emotions locked up. I didn't want to look but I had to, I had to know for certain if what I saw earlier really had transpired.

I swallowed thickly as I watched her arms snake around his waist and her lips start planting kisses along his throat. His throat… my throat…. I knew how it felt to kiss that part of him. The way his stubble tickled my lips and the way his body quivered as I blew soft breaths along his jaw line. My chest tightened and I felt my eyes start to prickle with tears. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as my chest felt like it was being stabbed and I quickly walked to my closet.

"Umm, can everyone…. Like…. get out of my room, please." I congratulated myself for the steadiness in my voice.

"Bella, please… let me explain." I kept my back turned to everyone and squeezed my eyes shut tightly at the sound of his voice.

"Explain what?" Her annoying voice laughed out. "I'm sure she's old enough to know about sex, James."

"Shut up, Victoria," James snapped at her. He was the one that needed to shut up, I didn't want to hear his voice, I couldn't keep things locked up anymore if I had to hear his voice.

"Emmett," I tried to shake away the lump in my throat. "Don't let anyone other than Edward sleep in my room, please."

"I wouldn't do that, sis." I gathered a few things and shoved them into a bag before turning and hugging Emmett goodbye.

I pulled away and smiled at him. "You know it's not fair, right?" I asked him while grinning. Laughter was the best medicine and I figured if I joked around it would be a great diversion to how I was really feeling.

"What's not fair?"

"If I had a party I would be in _so_ much trouble," I snickered and started walking out of my room.

"You were supposed to be gone," he laughed out.

I gave everyone – minus James – a hug goodbye and left my house.

We loaded into Ryan's car and as we pulled out of the driveway my phone went off.

_Cause you are Beautiful inside,  
so lovely and I can't see why I'd do anything without you, you are  
And when I'm not with you, I know that it's true  
That I'd rather be anywhere but here without you_

I didn't say anything as the lyrics rang through the silence of the car. I searched around in my bag trying to turn it off before my heart could break any further. I didn't want to be reminded of James and having to listen to his ringtone, that song that he sang to me so many times, made my chest tighten and a lump form in my throat. That was our song, he had me listen to it almost every day, it was his idea to use as our ringtone.

"It'll be ok, Bella," Ryan said softly as he turned slightly to look at me. I glanced over confused as to what he was talking about and noticed we were at a stop sign a few blocks down the road. "You don't have to say it, but I know. I've seen the way you've looked at him. I've tried for months to get you to notice me but I knew there was someone else." He ran his hand through his hair and took a moment before he spoke again. "And after seeing your face when you stood in front of the bathroom, I knew for certain who it was and I am so fucking sorry, Bella."

The tears I had been fighting to keep at bay broke free and spilled all over my cheeks. I sobbed loud and hard after hearing him, not only confess his feelings for me but apologize for my broken heart.

"It'll be ok, Bella," he soothed and quickly wrapped me in his arms, holding tightly while I cried.

"I don't want to go to Alice's," I wept softly.

"Ok… do you want to go to my house? I can sleep on the couch and you could take my bed."

I smiled at his thoughtfulness and pulled out of his arms slowly as I pondered his offer. "Do you think you could take me somewhere else?"

"Sure… shit... I didn't mean to imply…" I stopped his rambling by gently placing my hand over his mouth.

"I meant, do you think _WE_ could go somewhere other than Forks? I could really use the distance from this town and I don't want to be alone right now."

"Sure."

We made a quick stop at his house so he could run in and grab some things, and about an hour later we pulled into a hotel in Port Angeles.

"Should I get two rooms," Ryan started to ask but I quickly stopped him.

"No, we can share a room," I assured him with a smile and we both climbed out of his car.

"How many nights would like?" The old woman behind the counter asked. Ryan looked over at me not quite sure what to say.

I thought about it for a second and shrugged my shoulders. "Well, it's Friday night, and next week is Spring Break, do you want to stay 'til Monday?" I asked him.

He smiled and quickly paid the woman for the weekend. We got to our room, I set my bag down and told Ryan I was going to go change in the bathroom. He was sitting on his bed in a shirt and shorts with his legs folded when I opened the door.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I replied just as quietly and sat across from him on my bed.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know what to say," my voice sounded hoarse as I tried to choke back the tears that were forming once again.

"It's ok, Bella," he said softly. "Just know that I'm here if you wanna talk."

"Thank you, Ryan," I pulled the blankets back and climbed into my bed. I didn't know if I'd be able to sleep but I needed to try and my body was extremely tired after sitting so long in a car and then going through my emotional crisis. I didn't want to think about it, it hurt so much picturing them together I needed a distraction. "Is there anything on?"

I watched a few episodes of Roseanne before I ended up falling asleep, only to wake up a short while later, feeling the effects of a broken heart. Even in my dreams I couldn't escape the image of them on the bathroom counter. The way he held her face, her hands wrapped around him, the way their bodies were molded together, it made me sick. I trusted him, I believed everything he had ever told me, I gave him something I could never get back, something I would never be able to give anyone else.

My tears fell down my face as I laid in bed thinking about how naïve I had been. Those past months of trying to get him to tell my brother should have tipped me off. He always had a reason as to why it wasn't the right time, when in fact it was because my brother knew about Victoria. I loved him so much, I planned on being with him forever and it was all shot to hell in a matter of seconds.

I felt the bed dip slightly and was soon engulfed in Ryan's strong arms. I wasn't used to being held by another man, it felt odd, but I welcomed it. He pulled my back against his chest and rested his head against mine. I felt one of his hands lightly sweep a few strands of my hair behind my ear and couldn't help but remember James doing that same thing.

The ache in my chest grew tenfold and my sobbing increased. He was supposed to love me forever that was what he always told me. I thought we loved each other, he always made me feel like he loved me, so I couldn't understand why he cheated on me. I wanted to forget him, I never wanted to feel this way again, but I couldn't forget and I continued to cry as I remembered our time together.

"I hate that you're hurting, Bella," he breathed against my neck. "I wish there was something I could do to make it stop, but I promise it won't hurt forever."

"I just feel so stupid, Ryan," I whispered through my tears. "I'm so stupid."

"Hey," he twisted his head around so I could see his face. "You are not stupid, Bella. This is not your fault." I rolled my body slightly so that we were facing each other. "James is an idiot to not have ever noticed you." I quickly turned away. Of course he would assume that, I was just a kid, a pathetic, naive, stupid kid who could never hold James' interest.

I felt his fingers on my chin, softly forcing my eyes back to his. I stared into his dark eyes, feeling my cheeks soak with my tears but too exhausted to give a shit. I was tired of lying to everyone, and from the look on Ryan's face he was fully registering why I was so upset.

"Fuck…" he sighed. "He was more than just a crush, wasn't he?" I didn't answer him, there wasn't a need to. The tears pouring from eyes said it all. He brought his hands up to my face and gently wiped my tears away.

"How long?" He asked quietly.

"About a year and a half, it was right before Halloween freshman year," my voice shook as I tried to stop crying. "We were finally going to tell Emmett, but James kept finding reasons why we needed to wait… I feel so dumb… I believed him so easily."

"Don't feel stupid, Bella… he was a good liar."

"Yeah," I angrily wiped my nose. "Or I'm just another gullible female who's too dumb to see what's really going on."

"You're not dumb," he replied. "You're one of the smartest people I know. Watching you in the bookstore is one of my favorite things to do. You seem to have that place memorized. No stupid person is that into books, Bella," he teased making me chuckle slightly. "I'm serious, you know about so many authors and poets, I've seen the size of the books you read, and you are definitely not stupid. I've watched you around that store, how you help people, its amazing how you can hear them say one or two lines from a story they liked and name which book they're looking for. You're not stupid, if anything it's a little annoying how much smarter you are than me."

I laughed softly. "You know, James never did like you."

"Really," he raised his eyebrows mockingly.

"Yeah, I'm glad I never listened to him when he said to stay away from you. You've become a great friend and I'd seriously be bawling my eyes out if you weren't here."

"I'm just glad you feel comfortable enough to talk to me about this," he paused. "Am I the only one that knows?"

I nodded and closed my eyes briefly. "Please don't tell anyone. It was different wanting to tell Emmett when I thought we were going to be together, but I really don't want anyone finding out now."

"I won't tell anyone," he promised. "Is it a little easier now though, having someone to talk to about it?"

"I guess… I mean, I wasn't prepared to make up a lie tonight to explain to Alice why I'm so upset, so in a way I'm glad you know and can understand why I'm crying. But it's also embarrassing because you were right there to see my boyfriend cheating on me."

"I can understand that, but I wish you wouldn't be embarrassed, you did nothing wrong. A year and a half is a long time to be with someone and to have it end like that is fucking awful."

He wrapped his arms around me again and I snuggled into his chest. I don't know why but I decided to be completely honest with him. He was so easy to talk to and he wasn't judging me. I told him everything that night. About the first time I met James, the night he told me he loved me, the night I lost my virginity, everything and he never judged. He did get pretty pissed when I told him about Christmas night and how James treated me but he never interrupted. He listened and wiped my tears as I cried, and then held me until I fell asleep.

We finally woke up around one the next day and neither one of us were feeling up to going anywhere so we planned on lounging around the room, Ryan volunteered to go get us some food. I took the time that he was gone to shower. My body felt drained, my eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying all night. I tried not to think about him, every time I did, my chest would tighten and tears would prick my eyes. I couldn't get the image of him and her out of my head though. I cried in the shower as I washed my body, remembering all those times that James would do it for me when we showered together. It broke my heart all over, knowing that was never going to happen again, we were never going to be that intimate ever again.

I didn't want to turn my phone on yet but I knew I had to check in. I called Alice from the hotel and asked her to cover for me if Emmett called. I let her know I was in Port Angeles with Ryan and didn't want anyone to know. Which was the truth, I just didn't correct her when she mentioned he and I made a cute couple, I laughed and told her I'd call later.

Ryan and I watched movies and talked the rest of the weekend, with an occasional crying fit from my part. We checked out of the hotel on Monday and when he dropped my off at Alice's he promised to call me later.

"Don't forget to turn your phone back on, Bella," he teased. "Let me know what you're doing for break, maybe we could get together and do something."

I looked down slowly, I didn't want to string him along with false hopes, but a relationship was the last thing I wanted right now.

"Hey," he said softly. "I didn't mean it like that, I know what you're going through and wouldn't try to start something right now, ok."

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and nodded my head. "Sorry, I just… maybe one day… but… right now…"

"You don't have to explain, I just like hanging out with you."

I smiled and gave him a hug before I hopped out of his car. "Call me later, k… and thanks again for everything, Ryan."

"You're welcome, see you later." I watched as he drove away and then dug my phone out of my bag. Alice told me she was going to be with Jasper all day and I didn't see any one else home, so I climbed in and started my car. As I was waiting for it to warm up I turned my phone on. In the few seconds it took for the screen to flash on, my message indicator read my voicemail and texts were full.

"Great," I sighed out loud. "Here we go."

"_You have 32 new messages" _the annoying robotic voice said.

"_Bella, it's me, call me back please baby, I need to explain."_

"_Bella, call me back, please angel. I love you."_

"_I love you, baby, please call me back."_

"_I'm sorry, call me please."_

"_I'm so sorry, call me, I was drunk and I made a mistake."_

I only listened to the first ten and then I quickly deleted them all, not wanting to hear anymore of his lies. I didn't understand what he would need to explain, I saw what I saw. I pressed end after the voice told me messages deleted and decided to look through my text. Holy cow! All the 90 new messages were from James.

_Call me, angel._

_I love you, please call me._

_I need you to call me, please_

_I love you, Bella. _

_I'm sorry! Please call me._

The majority of the texts were all the same and I quickly deleted them, it wasn't until the last 20 that his anger started to come through.

_Pick up your fucking phone._

_Dammit, where are you?_

_I just drove by Alice's and no one is there. Where the fuck are you?_

_Are you with him? You are, aren't you?_

_Call me back, Bella!_

_If you are still with him, you're gonna be fucking sorry. _

_I drove by his house and his car is gone, quite the slut aren't you._

Ok that last one had me seething, how dare he call me a slut. He was the one that was caught cheating, I've been nothing but faithful to him our entire relationship. I didn't want to read anymore and I hit 'delete all', and then scrolled down my contacts.

Seeing his name on my phone had my stomach doing somersaults and my chest felt like a bowling ball was lodged against my sternum. I needed to make the call but my heart was beating so fast and my hands started to shake. I tried to take a few deep breaths before I hit send, hoping I could calm down before I heard his voice. One final deep breath, I pushed send and listened to the ringing.

"Bella!" He shouted thought the ear piece. "Where the fuck have you been?"

"James," I said softly.

"I've been calling you all weekend, why the hell did you have your phone turned off?"

"James," I tried again.

"I fucking told you to stay away from him and what the hell do you do? You fucking run off with him! I've been fucking worried about you, I've text you, called you, drove around trying to find you. Fucking hell, Bella, where the fuck…."

"James!" I shouted. "Listen to me." There was a pause in the line and then I heard him take a deep breath and I tried to steady my voice. "I only called to tell you that you need to stop calling and texting me. There is nothing that I want to hear from you… it's over and I don't ever want to talk to you again."

"Baby," he whimpered. "Baby, please, I am so sorry. You've got to believe me, I made a mistake and I am so fucking sorry."

"I don't care, James," I choked. "You cheated on me… in my own house… you can't… you can't take that back."

"Please, Bella, please. You gotta forgive me."

"I can't," I cried and those fucking treacherous tears flowed down my face.

"No, Bella, please. Give me another chance," he begged.

"I can't do it, James," I sobbed. "What you did hurt so fucking much… I can't go through it again."

"But baby, I promise…"

"No!" I interrupted. "No more fucking promises. I don't want them. I don't believe anything you say."

"But, Bella, please…"

"No, you lied to me, you cheated on me and I can't forgive you. I don't want to forgive you," I sobbed loudly. "You broke my fucking heart, James," I screamed into the phone. "You promised you'd never hurt me, you promised we'd be together forever and then I catch you fucking some girl."

"Bella, listen to me for a minute."

"I'm done listening to you, James," I wiped my face angrily. "I get it, you lied – I bought it… It's pathetic really… I bet you laughed about it in Seattle… but… You know… I would have stayed with you forever."

"Baby, please, what do I have to do? Tell me and I'll do it, I swear. I'll call Emmett right now and tell him about us, I'll move back here, we can go get married, please I'll do whatever you want."

I cried as I listened to him beg, I wanted so badly to tell him ok. Tell him I forgave him and we could work it out. I wanted him to hold me and make love to me and make me forget what he did, but that wasn't possible, not anymore.

"I can't, James," I cried softly. "I can't. You destroyed us when you chose to be with someone else."

"Bella, don't do this," he pleaded.

"I didn't do it, James. You did and it's done… It's over."

"Don't say that shit to me, dammit!" He growled.

"Well, I don't want to be with you anymore. Seeing you with another girl, made me realize you were nothing but a liar. It's over, James… so please stop calling me."

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think it's over," he barked. "It's not over, Bella and the sooner you realize that, the sooner we can be happy again."

"James, please," I asked quietly. "You've hurt me enough, so I'm asking you nicely to stop calling me. It is over… we are never going to be together again."

"The fuck if we're not!" He barked out a laugh.

"I gotta go, James," I sighed.

"You are mine, Bella. Don't forget that."

"I was yours, James. I gave you all of me… but you gave that up… you threw it away like it meant nothing to you."

"No, Bella. I didn't give up anything. You are mine and you will always be mine!"

"You need to stop," I begged. "You're making this harder than it has to be. We're through, so you can move on with _Victoria_ or whatever little slut you were fucking as well. Leave me alone and stop calling."

"Bella!" I could hear the venom in his tone. "Don't even think this is over, nothings over."

"Well this is… I gotta go…. Goodbye James."

"Bella! Bella..." I hung up before he could say anything else. It took me a few minutes to stop crying and for my hands to quit shaking but I managed and then drove myself home. The phone call didn't go as well as I had hoped but I was proud of myself. I said what I had to say and I didn't let him suck me back in. My body ached for him when I heard the pain in his voice but nothing can ever fix what he destroyed.

I jumped slightly when I heard my phone ring but was relieved that it wasn't James.

"Hey Alice…. What are you doing?"

"_We_ are getting ready to go camping, so pack your bags," she sang into the phone.

"Camping sounds great!" I was excited at first then my stomach dropped at the thought of him being there. "Umm, Alice…. Who's we?"

"All of us, silly," she paused. "Oh, except James. I guess he went back to Seattle last night."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Ok, well it'll take me about 20 minutes to get my stuff together where are we meeting at?"

"Jasper's mom and dads'. Everyone is already here we were just waiting for you."

"Hey, wait," I said quickly. "What did you tell Emmett, when he showed up and I wasn't there?"

"Oh," I heard her laughing. "I told him you had to go to the bookstore really quick so hurry up because I want some details, missy."

"Shush it up, Alice," I teased. "K, I'll be there in a few. Love ya, bye."

"Love ya, bye."

Thirty minutes later I pulled into The Hales' driveway and grabbed my bag.

"Belly Bear!" Emmett shouted and pulled me in for a hug. "This is going to be great, we haven't camped since the summer."

"We're going to take two vehicles," Rosalie said. "The boys are driving Jazz's truck so they can carry the firewood and us girls will take his jeep with the bags and stuff."

We said good bye to Mr. and Mrs. Hale and took off for the highway. We actually got farther than I thought before Alice couldn't contain herself any longer.

"Ok, Bella, spill!"

"Yes, Bella," Rosalie sneered playfully. "What _DID_ you do this weekend?"

I rolled my eyes at both of their attempts to get dirt and recapped my time in the hotel, minus the stuff about James. They were a little disappointed that there wasn't enough juice but it did hold them over when I mentioned he and I slept in the same bed. I was done talking about me and quickly changed the subject.

We arrived at the campsite and started setting things up, we would be here for an entire week and had a lot of stuff to unload. I was extremely happy for this distraction, if I kept myself busy I wouldn't have time to think about James. I was done crying, of course it still hurt but I wanted to enjoy the time with my family. I wanted to remember what life was like before James. I knew I neglected the relationship I had with my friends and family after James and I got together, and I really hoped that after this trip life would go back to how it was before James, before my heart was broken. Unfortunately, what I wanted and what I got were two different things.

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**A/N: Leave me a review...please.  
I'm really interested in what you think.  
I love Ryan… but this will be E/B remember**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Longest chapter yet... **

**Thanks for the reviews, I crave them!**

******* This chapter has some graphic and disturbing scenes, violence against woman subject matter*******

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**BPOV**

**March 18****th****, 2007**

School was going to start the next day, which meant our camping trip was over, and I was extremely reluctant to take down our campsite. I had a lot of fun camping with my family. We sang songs, told jokes, made s'mores, and Emmett even got me to go fishing. It was a great distraction from my breakup with James. Of course I was sad—my heart had just been broken—but having my family around me helped keep my mind off of things. I cried a few times while camping when I thought about him, about the time we shared together.

He was sweet once, affectionate, and I loved him… and I missed him. I knew I would always love him, and that's what made things so painful. I wasn't going to be able to forget him. I dreaded going back and having to deal with James again; being away from him helped lessen the pain, but I hoped he had got the hint and would leave me alone. It was hard enough with my own memories tormenting me. Of course, though, when I was able to turn my phone back on, my inboxes were full. I didn't listen to or read any of them; there wasn't a need to. I knew who the messages were from and quickly deleted them all.

Nothing would ever be able to make me take him back; I made up my mind, and even though it hurt to say goodbye, I wasn't going to change my mind. A person can love someone until they are blue in the face, but without trust, it would never work out. And that was what he robbed me of; his betrayal smashed any trust I had ever had in him.

When I got home and walked through my bedroom door, tears immediately sprang to my eyes. Everything reminded me of James. We had made love on almost every surface in my room. Against the walls, against the door, in front of my dresser, on my bed, even my closet had been christened by our lovemaking.

Underneath my windowsill was the guitar James had used to play my song he wrote for me the morning after prom. My chest tightened as my mind brought back the memories of that morning, and I had to quickly sit down. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. I remembered clearly how beautiful he looked, sitting on the edge of my bed, strumming my guitar with his long fingers, his melodic voice singing his love for me.

Tears fell from my eyes as I slowly lay down on the mattress. I ran my hand over the comforter, remembering the many nights we slept together. My fingers squeezed tightly around _his_ pillow, bringing it slowly to rest against my nose. I sobbed quietly into the pillow when my nose was assaulted with his smell. Pushing the pillow more firmly into my face, I inhaled deeply, trying to let the scent of him suffocate me. Something that had calmed my body down on many occasions now brought the pain from my heartache. I was going to miss him… miss us. I wept into his pillow as I continued breathing him in. I'd give myself one night… only one more night to mourn over the loss of my relationship, then no more. No more moping around and feeling sorry for myself. Tomorrow I would wake up and begin my healing, begin my life without him; but for tonight, I held onto the last piece I had of him and cried myself to sleep.

I woke up an hour before my alarm clock went off, which gave me plenty of time to shower and get ready for class. I called Alice before I left my house, and we planned a trip to Port Angeles after school so I could buy a new bed set. If I was going to get over James, I was definitely going to need a new bed set.

The school day was boring, and my classes seemed to go by as slowly as possible. By the time I met up with Alice in the parking lot, I had twenty missed calls from James and even twice as many text messages. I felt nauseous every time I checked my phone. I wondered when he would finally stop. I turned my phone off when we drove out of Forks; if we needed to call for help or anything, she had her phone, so we would be okay.

I went to sleep that night on brand new and freshly washed sheets that smelt nothing like James. My mind still had flashes of our time together, but I refused to cry over him anymore. His calls and texts made it difficult to even try to get over him, but it was getting easier to ignore them.

The rest of the week played out the same as Monday, slow and boring, with lots of calls from James. Friday after school I had my number changed; his phone calls were not stopping, and I was getting sick of it. I told everyone that I had too many telemarketers calling me and needed a new number. I thought about James a lot. I missed all the good times we had, but I needed to get over him and his calls and texts were not making that easy. I didn't get any messages from him the following week and was starting to believe he was going to leave me alone.

**April 6****th****, 2007**

Emmett came by the bookstore Friday and told me he was going to head off to Seattle earlier than he thought and asked if Ryan could take me home, since he was supposed to be my ride.

"Sure, I don't mind." Ryan looked at his watch. "I'm off already, so I can just sit here until you're finished."

"You don't have to do that," I told him. "I have another hour before I'm out of here."

"Actually," a friendly voice said from behind. "Why don't you both head out right now. It's pretty slow today, and I was thinking about closing early."

"You sure?" I asked Mrs. Anderson.

She smiled and nodded at me. "Yes – now go."

"Thank you," the three of us told her.

"I'll see you Monday," I called over my shoulder as I walked out the door. "Thanks for pawning me off, Emmett," I teased.

"Hey." He grinned. "It worked out for everybody."

I hugged him goodbye and told him to call me when he got to Seattle; it was close to six and starting to get dark, and I hated him driving at dark.

"I'll be fine, Belly." I quirked an eyebrow at him. "But I'll call you when I get there." He sighed.

I watched him drive away, and then Ryan suggested we grab something to eat at the diner. As we were walking into the diner, my feet tripped on an invisible stick, and my hands reached out and grabbed the closest thing around me to keep from falling. Unfortunately, that was Ryan who had been bending over to tie his shoe, and I ended up pulling him down with me.

"I am so sorry." I laughed, embarrassed.

"You don't seem to be that sorry," he teased, lying next to me on the ground.

"Are you okay?" I asked between laughs.

"You kind of broke my fall." He chuckled along with me.

I was still laughing pretty hard as he helped me up and brushed off some dirt from my jacket.

"It's good to see you laughing again, Bella." He smiled and nudged me as we walked through the doors.

"It's getting better."

"I'm glad."

Ryan had become a very good friend, and I was going to miss him when he left. He had joined the Marines and would be leaving at the end of May. During these last couple of weeks, we talked about things and we both agreed to remain friends. I wasn't ready for another relationship, and Ryan was going to have all sorts of new experiences and meeting new people; it just worked out better with us being friends.

We sat in a back booth away from other customers and laughed over random things. He teased me when I told him I'd just eat off of his plate, but truth be told, I really didn't have an appetite lately. My stomach was always queasy whenever I would think about James, and nights when the memories were so intense, I actually puked. I had lost a few pounds, but most people do after a breakup, so I wasn't worried.

He dropped me off at my house after we were finished, promising to call me tomorrow. I waved and watched him drive away. Before I was able to turn the key, an all too familiar voice snarled from behind me and sent chills down my spine.

"What the fuck, Bella?" James seethed and grabbed my arms roughly.

"James," I croaked, barely finding my voice. His eyes looked crazed; I could feel his anger flowing off his body. "What are you doing here?"

"What the hell were you doing with him?" he shouted.

"Why do you care anyways? Shouldn't you be with Victoria?" As her name left my mouth, I went to pull away from him, but he grabbed me harder and shoved me towards the door.

"She means nothing to me." He glared.

"It doesn't matter, James. I told you it was over." I tried to push past him to get inside, but he stopped me. It was getting exhausting fighting with him over the same thing. "I'm done."

"You're not done. We'll never be done. You are mine!"

"No, I'm not." I sighed, clearly frustrated. He let me unlock the door only to push his way inside before I could shut it. "Go be with your little girlfriend. I don't want you anymore."

"You're not going anywhere without me."

"Leave me alone, James!"

"No, we're going to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk about anything." I bit my lip to keep from crying. It was hard looking at his face and hearing his voice. I didn't want to ever see him again, and now he was in my house. "You shouldn't even be here, James," I said in a low voice, looking at my shoes.

"You wouldn't talk to me or text back… you changed your number." I could see the veins straining against the skin of his arms as he pulled at his hair. He was out of control, consumed by his rage, making him look like a crazy person. He started pacing heavily in front of me, mumbling incoherent things.

"James, you need to leave…. it's over." I heard him murmur something, and his pacing increased in speed. "James … why are you here?"

Suddenly he turned towards me and started yelling.

"What the fuck, Bella? You were driving me crazy not being able to talk to you."

"Take a fucking hint, James. I've moved on," I snapped at him and instantly regretted it when the side of my face was met with a very hard smack that caused my body to stumble slightly. I was shocked, and it took a second to register what exactly happened.

"I can't believe you hit me, James," I said, completely baffled. I started crying harder as my face began to throb painfully.

"Fuck, baby, I'm so sorry," he cried, and I jerked away from him as he reached for me.

"You said you'd never hit me," I cried and pressed a hand over my cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Bella… God, please forgive me, baby. I just got so mad thinking about you with another guy."

"You were the one that cheated. You said you'd never hurt me. It killed me seeing you with her, and now you do this!" I screamed through my tears. "I can't believe you hit me, James."

"I love you, baby. Please, I'm so sorry," he kept pleading to me.

"Just leave." I sobbed. "I don't ever want to see you again."

"No, baby, please, it was a mistake. You know I'd never hurt you. Please, I'm so sorry."

I felt his arms wrap around me, lifting me off the ground and carrying me upstairs to my room. I was still holding my face and crying for him to get out as he opened my door.

He set me down gently in the middle of the bed, climbing on top of me, and started kissing my face apologetically. I couldn't stop crying, I was more in shock than in pain. I knew he had a temper, but I never thought he'd ever hit me.

"I'm so fucking sorry, baby," he muttered in between kisses. His hands easily lifted the shirt over my head. I didn't have the strength to tell myself to stop crying, let alone make him stop. His mouth made its way down my breasts and licked a path to the top of my jeans. I felt his fingers unbutton and pull the zipper down on my jeans while his lips laid kisses over my stomach. I wanted to fight him so badly. The thought of him touching me made me sick—he hurt me both physically and emotionally—but I didn't have the strength to fight him. And part of me really wanted him to make me feel better—the sick twisted part that was still head over heels in love with him.

His hands were at the waist of my jeans and he hooked his fingers inside, grabbing my underwear, and quickly removed both articles of clothing. I heard him toss them to the side, and then his face dove straight for my crotch. He wrapped his arms under my thighs and curled his hands up and over the tops of my thighs, to pull my legs apart further.

His mouth covered my sex and I cried out.

I felt him smile against me, and then he went to work. As much as I hated him and as badly as he had hurt me, I had missed his mouth on me; my body remembered what it was like to be with him, and it responded right away.

That magic tongue of his started doing pushups on my clit, then slid down to stab into my wet entrance and sucked gently to drink the wetness that had accumulated there. I whimpered again and felt his right arm sliding under my leg. Two fingers were plunged. I cried out and arched my back off the bed at the sudden intrusion.

He let me relax for a second or two and then began pumping his fingers quickly in and out, turning his palm up and curling his fingers up behind my pubic bone. In no time, he found my G-spot, and I felt my entire abdomen melt into a puddle of goo as hot arousal shot through me, making me break out in a sweat.

He sucked my clit into his mouth and swiped at it with his tongue at lightning speed. I hollered his name, surprising myself.

I felt my walls tremble around his fingers and my thighs vibrate as my clit stung with the force of my release. He licked me gently as I came down, white lights flashing behind my eyelids. He drank up every bit of my juices and kissed my folds one last time.

I finally opened my eyes to look down, nearly swooning at the sight of his head between my legs, errant locks of hair falling across his forehead, my juices glittering on his chin in the soft light of the room. I could see his mouth moving, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. The moon was shining in the window and provided the only illumination for me to see him, but there was no sound. My head felt cloudy and the blood was rushing through my body, making it impossible to form a thought. My eyes focused on his face, and I could only gaze at him, his beautiful face. My body wanted to smile down to him, but something stopped me… I remembered her… _Victoria_.

The one he had on the bathroom counter, hand around her throat, pumping into over and over again. Her hands wrapped around his neck, grabbing his hair. His moans she created. I remembered that betrayal, and suddenly his face didn't look so beautiful. I remembered every time he grabbed me roughly, every name he ever called me. I remembered the sting of his palm across my face and felt disgusted with myself to have enjoyed any minute of what just transpired.

Stretching one leg over his head, I turned over on my side. I didn't want to look at him anymore; I didn't want to love him anymore. I tried to keep my sobs at bay, but it was no use. My tears were flowing freely, and there was no stopping them. I heard hear his voice, but I couldn't make out what he was saying; I tried to stop crying to hear what it was, but I couldn't.

I felt him lie down next to me. He reached under my arms and pulled me up towards him and placed my body under the blankets. I kept myself turned away from him and buried my face in the pillow. He wrapped his arms around me and placed kisses against my head and side of my face. When his lips ghosted along my neck, I heard him whispering.

"I'm so sorry, baby. Don't leave me, please."

As if that would make it all go away. No amount of sorry's would fix what he had done. He had destroyed our relationship, our friendship, my trust… He had broken my heart, and there was nothing he could do to fix it.

"You need to leave, James." I tried to stop my voice from shaking.

"Shh, Bella… Please, I'm so sorry."

I shook my head and tried to sit up, but his arms held me in place. "I don't ever want to see you again, James. You need to get out."

"I'm sorry. Please give me another chance."

"No, it's over, James… please leave."

"I'm so sorry, baby."

"Stop saying that!" I snapped.

"Bella," he spoke as if I were a child. "Just go to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

"No, James," I said more firmly and sat up. "You need to get out—now."

"I'm not going anywhere, Bella… You're mine." He sat up and brought his face inches from mine. "And you will always be mine."

"If you don't leave..." I threatened and his lips twitched in amusement. "I'm going to tell Emmett what you did tonight."

I saw the smirk leave his face, and his eyes darkened. His strong hands wrapped tightly around my arms, and I winced as he applied pressure, then started breathing heavily in my face.

"Ow, James, you're hurting me," I cried out as his fingers continue to squeeze.

"Do you remember what I told you?" he seethed.

"Ow, James… please let go."

"Answer me, dammit!" he shouted.

"About what?" I cried out, the pain in my arms becoming unbearable.

"About what I'd do if you ever tried to leave me…" He released my arms roughly. "And what I'd do to anyone who tried to take you away from me?"

"I didn't leave you, James." My hands massaged the tops of my arms. "You left me... for someone else. So please stop … you've already hurt me enough… I just want you to leave me alone."

"I can't, Bella… Don't you see?" His fingers came up and brushed my hair behind my ears. "You're mine… I can't let you go."

"Please, James," I begged through my tears.

"I'll leave you alone for tonight, Bella." He gently kissed my forehead, and then he gripped my chin forcing me to look at him. "I meant what I said before, Bella. I'll kill anyone who tries to keep us apart… understand?"

"Yes," I whispered and closed my eyes as I saw his head dip down for a kiss.

"I'll be back tomorrow… I love you, angel."

And then he was gone, and panic coursed through my body. I jumped out of bed and quickly stuffed clothes into a bag; I was not going to be here when he showed up tomorrow. I grabbed a few things from my bathroom and then ran down the stairs. I found my purse on the ground by the door and quickly grabbed my phone. Alice was gone with Jasper, but I was sure Esme would let me stay the night. I hit send and it rang twice before someone picked up.

"Hey… Carlisle?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Bella?"

"Edward..." I breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing home?"

"I didn't feel like partying, so I came home. Are you alright? You sound a little shaky."

"Umm… well... it's kind of pathetic, really. But Emmett's gone, and I'm a little spooked out tonight, so I was going to ask Esme if I could stay over."

"You know you don't have to ask." He laughed softly. "Mom and Dad are gone for the weekend, but you can come and keep me company."

"Okay, be right there," I said in a rush and hung up before saying goodbye. I ran and threw my bag into my car and quickly locked the doors as I climbed inside. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking as I started backing out of the driveway. I didn't want to see James. I never gave much thought to his threats before, but after tonight I knew for sure he meant what he said.

I glanced in the mirror the entire time I drove, making sure I hadn't been followed. My heart finally started to slow down as I made my way up the driveway. Soft lights shone through the windows, and the front door had been left open, so I hurriedly put my car into park and grabbed my bag. Before I made it to the front steps, I heard a noise and looked to my left. It was Edward coming out from the garage doors, and I breathed a sigh of relief, until I saw who was walking behind him, and all blood drained from my body.

"Bella," James said mischievously. "What a surprise seeing you here."

"Um… well…" I stammered, my eyes wide from shock and fear.

"It's okay. You hung up before Edward could tell you I was here." he smiled crookedly.

"I don't want to impose... Angela said I could stay with her… I'll just see you guys later." I turned to leave, but Edward put his arm around my shoulders to stop me.

"Don't be silly, Bella." He walked us towards the house, oblivious to the panicked look in my eyes.

I felt James' eyes on me as I walked inside and Edward motioned for me to sit next to him. I was too afraid to look at James, and I kept my head down.

"Um… I'm pretty tired, guys, so I'm going to head up to bed."

"Well, James is going to stay in the guest room, so you can sleep in Alice's," Edward offered. I nodded quickly and tried to not run as I headed for the stairs.

I was terrified of what was going to happen; he had told me he'd be back in the morning, and I had taken off. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my body broke out in a sweat. My hands were shaking as I wiped away my tears. He was here, and I knew any minute he would be coming up to the room. My body sat frozen on the edge of the bed as I waited for his approach. He used to tell me I'd never be able to get away from him; he said he'd be able to find me anywhere.

Nine o'clock rolled around and still no James. My stomach was on the verge of vomiting. I watched the digits on the clock read ten and still no sign of James, but my body refused to relax; my mind knew something was going to happen.

At eleven I heard footsteps in the hallway, and my heart rate increased while my legs started to tremble and my body was hit with an incredible hot flash. I heard one door shut and knew it was Edward's. I closed my eyes waiting for the second door to shut, but it never happened. Instead, a lump formed in my throat as I watched the doorknob in my room start to turn. I closed my eyes immediately and tried to slow down my breathing as he softly closed the door. I felt nauseous and dizzy like I would pass out at any minute, and the moment I felt his fingers on my face, tears poured from my eyes.

"Hi, angel." His voice was daunting. I felt the bed shift as he sat next to me and had to bite my cheek to prevent me from crying out when his lips touched mine. "Mmm… missed you. Did you miss me?"

I didn't answer.

"Bella," he whispered into my ear.

A tiny sob escaped my lips when his nose brushed along my jaw line and he breathed me in.

"Bella," he said again softly, then roughly grabbed the top of my thigh and squeezed, causing me to whine out in pain.

"What the fuck are you doing calling Edward, Bella?" he seethed and gripped harder. "Quite the fucking slut now, aren't you? First Ryan, now Edward… who else, Bella?"

I shook my head frantically. "No one else. I swear to God, James, there's been no one else."

"Liar… What the fuck did you call him for?"

"I thought Esme was home—I wanted to see her… Please let go, you're hurting me," I begged.

"I fucking told you I'd kill him, didn't I… Did you think I was bluffing?" He squeezed again and I cried out.

"No…" I sobbed. "Please… let go, James." My fingers tried to pry his hand off my thigh, but his grip was to strong. "Please let go."

"You're going to go home in the morning… do you understand?" I nodded my head. "And you're not going to tell anyone about tonight… got it?" Again I shook my head vigorously. "You are mine, Bella, and no one—I mean, _no one_—will come between us, not even you."

"Ok, James… please let me go. I'll go home right now, I promise… You're hurting me, baby." I hoped my endearment would be enough to distract him, and it worked. He let go immediately and his hands cupped my face, both thumbs wiping away my tears.

"Shh… Don't cry, angel." His lips softly met mine. I kept the bile at bay as I kissed him back. I needed to do whatever I could to keep Edward safe and make sure I got out of there. I brought my trembling hands up to his face and lightly caressed his cheeks. I heard him moan and felt his tongue licking my lips, seeking entrance. My lips parted and allowed him to deepen the kiss. Soon one of his hands slowly made their way down to my chest, and I had to quickly break the kiss.

"Not here, James," I whispered. "I don't want to chance Edward walking in… plus Alice would kill me if we did it on her bed." I tried to lighten the mood even though I was scared shitless.

He pressed his forehead against mine and nodded. "I agree, angel… Why don't you head home now and I'll meet you there in a minute."

"OK," I said before he kissed me again.

"I love you, angel," he breathed into my mouth before pulling back. "I won't live without you… and I won't let you live without me." His hands held my face in place as he continued to stare me down. "You better be in your room when I get there," he growled.

"I will be."

"Good," he stated evenly. "I'll see you soon."

I grabbed my bag off the floor and quietly made it down the stairs and outside. Once I was safely in my car, I locked the doors and sped out of the driveway. I checked to see if James was behind me; he wasn't, but there was no way I was going to be home when he got there. I turned right instead of left and headed for the highway.

I had absolutely no idea where I was going; I only knew I wanted to be as far away from James and Forks as I could be. I drove for hours and finally ended up in some B.F.E town in Oregon. I pulled into a hotel and locked myself in the room. I turned my phone off and stayed in my room all weekend; I didn't even leave to get something to eat. My stomach was in knots, and the last thing I wanted was food. I needed to do something about James, but I wasn't sure what. He was getting worse. I was completely terrified of him; the look in his eyes, the determination in his face, left not a doubt in my mind that if he wanted to, he would kill me.

I called Emmett Sunday and made sure he was on his way home before I left the hotel. I was on edge the entire time I hit Washington; I kept feeling that James would be waiting in my room. I called Emmett and he told me it was only him in the house, but I still had my doubts. When I got home, I cautiously went to my bedroom and looked around for any signs of James. I checked the closet, my bathroom, under my bed and was relieved that he wasn't there. I didn't sleep much that night; every noise made me jump and had my thoughts going haywire.

Monday at school, I made sure to always be near someone. I didn't walk the halls alone, and I was careful when I walked in the parking lot. At the bookstore was the same thing; I constantly looked over my shoulder making sure James wasn't there. I felt him, that eerie presence of being watched, but I never saw him.

Tuesday after my last class, I stopped off at my locker to put my books away, and inside I found a rose with a note attached to it. I debated on what to do with it and settled for throwing it away. As I shut my locker, a chill went up my spine, and I felt that eerie tingling sensation on the back of my neck. I looked ahead towards the end of the hall, and there in front of the doors, looking right at me, stood James.

I froze momentarily as I watched him lift his hand in the air slightly and motioned for me to come to him. I was terrified to move; my first instinct was to turn and run, but the look on James' face told me that would be a bad idea. I had no other option but to go to him.

My feet slowly started moving my body in his direction, but thank the lord and all that was holy for Mr. Banter and his perfect timing.

"Bella, can I talk to you about your paper?"

My body exhaled a sigh of relief, and I turned quickly to follow Mr. Banter. As it turned out, I had turned in my paper without attaching a cover sheet, something I had never done before but was extremely grateful for at that moment. He told me to fix it tonight and bring it back tomorrow. I tried to think of more things to talk to him about, hoping James got tired of waiting and finally left. I asked him mundane questions about class and irrelevant things about summer projects until I felt that it was safe to leave. The thought of going to my car alone terrified me, and I decided to ask one last question.

"Um, Mr. Banter," I asked shyly.

"Yes, Bella."

"Do you… umm... Would you mind…?" I stuttered. He raised his eyebrows, encouraging me to continue. "Do you think you could walk me to my car? I mean… I usually walk with Alice, but she already left."

"No problem, Bella." He smiled kindly at me and escorted me to my car. Just as I had feared, James was waiting for me against the tree about eight spots from my car. I avoided his gaze and pretended not to see him. Mr. Banter opened my door for me and told me he'd see me tomorrow. I started the engine before he walked away and then quickly backed out and drove to the bookstore.

I parked next to Ryan's car and jogged inside. Luckily he was there and I wouldn't have to be here alone.

"Hey, Bella. I was just putting books away. Do you…" He stopped when he noticed my face. "What happened? Are you okay?" He was quickly by my side.

"No." My voice was weak. "I think James has been following me."

He pulled me into his arms and walked us to the back of the store. "Bella." He sighed. "You have got to tell Emmett." He continued over me as I started to protest. "Seriously, Bella, you're shaking. You are obviously scared of him." There was no way I was going to tell Emmett anything.

"I didn't get much sleep last night, and I think my head is playing tricks on me," I tried to rationalize.

"Are you sure? Because you don't have me convinced right now."

"I'm okay, Ryan… I just got spooked." I wrapped my arms around him for a hug. "I'll be alright."

"Promise me you'll tell me if anything happens," he said evenly but left no doubt he was serious. "I'm not playing, Bella."

"I promise." I sighed in his arms. We spent the rest of our shift going through books and ringing up customers. Occasionally when the bell chimed as people walked through the door, my heart would speed up and I had a second of panic, but when I saw it wasn't James, my body relaxed.

Ryan walked me to my car and told me he was going to follow me home. Any other day I would have argued, but that night I was too jumpy to not accept his offer. We pulled up to my house and he walked me inside, staying a little while and watching TV with Emmett.

The rest of the week I found various gifts and notes in my locker, and each time I looked up I would see James staring intently at me; but surprisingly he never approached… only stared. I was on edge every night worrying if he was going to sneak into my house while I slept or be sitting in my car when I least expected it. Ryan walked me to my door every night after work and made sure to stay until I fell asleep, using Emmett as his alibi.

That Friday Emmett took off for Seattle, and I made plans with Alice to stay with her. I didn't see James all weekend, but I was still worried about running into him at school. I saw him a few times standing across the street, and he still managed to leave things in my locker, but he had yet to approach me. He never threatened me or anyone else, so I started to relax more. It freaked me out a little to catch him staring at me, but as long as he wasn't trying to get physical I would breathe easier.

**April 30****th****, 2007**

"Emmett," I shouted from the doorway. "I need a ride to school."

"Where's your car?" He raked his hand over his face and yawned.

"My tire's flat," I whined. "I think I ran over a nail."

"Alright. Well, give me your key and I'll get it fixed before you get home."

Emmett dropped me off with barely enough time to make it to my locker. I grabbed the books I needed and made my way to class. At lunch all the girls made plans for Saturday to go to Port Angeles and see a movie, then do a slumber party over at Alice's. I stayed the last two weekends with her and asked Esme if she wouldn't mind me staying over every time Emmett left. Of course, she said she didn't mind, and Alice seemed to be thrilled. I knew she missed going to Seattle with Jasper, but she never acted like I was a bother; in fact, she took advantage of the situation and had numerous girly activities.

In sixth period English, a note came in and instructed me to report to the office. Ms. Peters didn't say what it was about, so I figured it was Emmett bringing my keys to me.

I started walking down the empty hallway and stopped right outside the music room when something shiny on the ground caught my eye. I went to reach down and pick it up when a hand was placed over my mouth and strong arms pulled me into the empty room, locking the door behind us. I tried to kick and scream, but his hand kept any noise from passing my lips, and his body pushing me against the wall kept me from moving.

Panic surged through my body as I felt his heavy breaths against my ear; I knew instantly who it was. Tears fell from my eyes when the horrifying thought of being killed flashed through my mind.

"Shh," he tried to soothe. "It's just me, baby."

I could smell the alcohol on his breath and knew he was drunk. My eyes clenched shut as he ground his erection into my back and his lips pressed against my neck.

"I've missed you, angel," he groaned and quickly turned my body around. My back was now pressed against the wall, but his hand was still covering my mouth. "You smell so fucking good, baby," he whispered against my face. "If I take my hand away are you going to be quiet?" I opened my eyes and nodded.

The second his hand left my face, his lips were pressing against mine. I refused to kiss him back and brought my hands against his chest to try and push him away.

"I've missed you, angel."

"You need to leave James," I said through shaky breaths.

"I can't leave… I've missed you," he slurred.

"I don't want to see you."

"I need to see you, Bella. You're all I think about…" His lips continued their assault against my neck, and his hands started to roam across my chest. "I need you back… Don't you get it?"

"James." I sighed, frustrated. "You're drunk." I tried to stop his hands from moving down my body, but he was much stronger than me. "I'm serious, James. Stop."

"Shut the fuck up, Bella," he sneered and grabbed me by the hair, twisting it against my neck. "You. Are. Mine. And I'll do whatever the fuck I want, and right now I want you." I cringed at that thought.

"James, let go!" I yelled. "You need to let go." He tried to silence me with his mouth, but I kept turning away from him.

"Dammit, Bella!" he shouted back and gripped my hair even tighter. "Hold still."

"Stop!" I begged. "James, you're scaring me." Before he could do anything else, we heard the sound of keys against the doorknob. James instantly grabbed me around the throat and brought his face to mine, our noses touching.

"Don't say a fucking word." He glared at me. "Not one fucking word about this, Bella, or your brother's fucking dead." James squeezed his fingers one last time and released my throat as the door was flung open.

"What are you doing in here?" Mrs. Pollock asked.

"Sorry, Barbara… I just came home for a visit from campus and wanted to surprise my girlfriend."

She looked over at me and then back to James.

"Mr. Carter, just because you graduated doesn't mean the rules of this school have changed. I think Bella ought to get to class and you can just catch up with her after school."

"I'm sorry, I just really wanted to surprise her." His voice was once again that charming voice that I had fallen in love with. Only now, I saw right through it. He was a good liar, and I was dumb enough to have fallen for it.

"Yea, sorry, Mrs. Pollock. I'll head back to class." I rushed out of the room before James could stop me and ran to the office. Mrs. Cope knew nothing about a note, and I assumed it had to have been James. My head was pounding and my stomach felt nauseous; I asked if I could lie down until my brother could come and get me.

I didn't want to leave the house. It scared me to even think about going to back to school or work, and I stayed home the rest of the week and all of next. I didn't want to go to school or work; I was afraid of him trapping me and doing something worse to me. Because Emmett was gone so much, I ended up staying over at Alice's. I couldn't think about James without panicking and having to race to the nearest toilet or garbage can. My nerves were seriously shot. I jumped at every loud sound, I wasn't eating, I wasn't sleeping. James had frightened me so badly, I never left the house; I was literally becoming a hermit.

Carlisle checked on me every morning and every night, making sure my blood pressure and temperature were normal. He'd ask me the same questions and would always tell me that, besides not having a fever, it seemed like the flu. He ordered lots of fluids and lots of rest. Ryan called on Thursday and wanted me to go with him to Port Angeles on Sunday so we could hang out before he had to leave for the Marines. I was still worried about James, but I felt safe with Ryan and told him I'd see him on Saturday.

**March 13****th****, 2007 **

"Thank you so much, Ryan." I laughed as we exited the theater. "I had a lot of fun."

"Glad I could be of service to ya, ma'am." He smiled and offered me the crook of his left arm. I wrapped both my arms around his, sighing at the security I felt with Ryan. "You ready to go home?" he asked as we walked down the road.

"Not really." I looked at my watch. "It's only seven – do you want to walk by the water for a while?" It was beautiful out, barely any wind, no clouds, and the moon lit up the night.

"Yeah… I do."

I still had my arms wrapped around his and I laid my head against his shoulder as we took our time walking along the shoreline, just breathing in the night air.

"I'm going to miss you, Ryan."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Bella." He stopped and pulled me in for a hug. His body was so warm and inviting, I snuggled right into him. "I'll write to you as often as I can."

"You better," I mumbled against him chest.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Hmm."

"Can I kiss you?" he inquired gently. I looked up and saw him gazing down at me carefully.

"You mean like a friendly goodbye kiss?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yea… just… I don't know…" He turned away shyly. "To see if anything's there… I guess."

I pondered over it briefly. "Okay," I said softly and waited for him to turn towards me again. His dark eyes met mine and I smiled. Our bodies were still pressed together in a hug, and he slowly brought his lips down to touch mine. They were soft and light, he didn't apply too much pressure, and it was over fairly quickly. It was more than a peck, but not enough to do anything. There were no sparks or fireworks; it wasn't awful, it was nice.

He pulled back and we looked at each other before he sighed and shook his head. "You didn't feel anything, did you?"

I felt bad; a little piece of me wanted to feel something, but it didn't. I looked down and shook my head no. He was one of my best friends, and even though I thought he was gorgeous, I didn't see past our friendship.

"I didn't either." My eyes snapped to his at his admission, and I smiled.

"Really?" I couldn't contain the little bit of excitement I had.

"Really." I threw my arms around him and he hugged me back, lifting my feet off the ground.

"You're one of my best friends, and I was so scared I just ruined it."

"Not a chance, Bella. Don't get me wrong—I wanted there to be something in that kiss, but I think we proved to ourselves that we are and always will be friends."

I smiled and stayed huddled against his chest as he set me back on my feet.

"That means a lot to me, Ryan. I'm tru…."

We were interrupted by the sound of exaggerated applause.

"How fucking beautiful."

Our heads whipped around at the sarcastic voice, and my eyes locked on to James, who was standing by edge of the water glaring at Ryan.

"James," I said meekly. His eyes drifted down to mine only to be cut off by Ryan stepping in front of me.

"Don't fucking look at her," Ryan fumed.

"Or what?" James stepped closer. "You going to stop me?"

I tried to tug on his arm, but he wouldn't budge. I wanted to leave; I did not want some altercation going on with these two.

"Ryan, let's just go…please," I said quietly, trying to pull him backwards.

"Moved on fast, didn't you, slut?" I heard the venom in his voice.

"Don't fucking call her that, you piece of shit," Ryan shouted as James stepped closer.

"Please, Ryan," I begged. "Let's go."

"Bella, go back to the car."

"No, Ryan. I'm not going to leave without you," I sobbed lightly.

"_Bella,"_ he said more firmly. _"Go back to the car."_

"Yes, Bella, run along and I'll be with you shortly." James smirked.

"You're going to leave her the fuck alone, James."

"You're awfully protective for just a _friend_," he said darkly. "I know you know what her kisses are like, but do you know what she tastes like?"

"Stop it, James," I pleaded.

"Come on, Ryan, you can tell me. She has one of the sweetest pussies you will ever taste."

"James, stop!" I shouted as I felt Ryan's body stiffen and saw his fists clenched.

"And her mouth…mmm…" He closed his eyes and shook his head dramatically. "The things she can do with a cock in her mouth."

"Stop it, James," I cried out and tried to grab onto Ryan as hard as I could to keep him from moving.

"You don't know heaven until you've felt her warm, pink tongue trace circles around the head of your cock. The way her soft lips wrap around and massage your dick as she's bobbing her head up and down."

"Ryan, NO!" I shouted as he charged for James. Ryan's fist connected with the side his face twice before they both fell onto the ground and started wrestling. Ryan landed on top of James and hit him a few more times before being thrown off to the side.

"Stop!" I yelled, hoping they'd listen but knowing they wouldn't.

"Fucking puss – is that all you got?" James mocked and stood up. "Couldn't take me saying anything about your girlfriend, huh?"

"Both of you stop, please," I cried out and quickly stepped in between them. "James, just leave, please."

"Does she beg for you, Ryan?" James stepped closer to me but looked over my head at Ryan.

"Ryan, please, let's go." I was turning my head back and forth between them.

"You should hear her beg when I lick her tight cunt… sweetest fucking sound you'll ever hear."

"Oh – I've heard it," Ryan snapped at James, and I glared at him for provoking the situation.

"What?" James growled and took another menacing step closer. Ryan didn't understand the severity of James' jealously, and his remark only made it worse. I put my hands on his chest and shook my head no.

"He's lying, James. Please… don't do it." I wrapped my fingers around his shirt, trying to keep him with me and away from Ryan.

"Don't deny it any longer, Bella." Ryan laughed. "He needs to know the truth so he'll finally leave you alone."

"Ryan," I cried out. "Shut up – you… you don't know what you're doing." I could feel James shake underneath my hands, heard the intake of his quick breaths and saw his fist clench at his sides.

"What's the truth?" he asked, looking directly at Ryan.

"I've heard her voice when she begs."

"What?" James asked through clenched teeth.

"He's lying, James… please… let's just go… come on, baby. I'll leave with you right now," I begged.

"I said…" Ryan stepped closer and looked him in the eye. "I know exactly how sweet her pussy tastes."

"James… no, no, no, no…" I pushed against his chest with all my strength. "Don't! He's lying… I swear to God he's lying."

"Bella, move," James demanded.

"You know what's better than the feeling of her on my tongue?" Ryan continued to mock James, not knowing what a huge mistake he was making.

"Ryan, stop… please!" I screamed into the night. "If you ever cared for me at all, you'll stop right now." But he ignored me and said the one thing he should never have said to James.

"The feeling of her tight pussy squeezing my cock."

"No!" I yelled as James shoved me out of the way and lunged at Ryan. I heard the sickening sound of bones being crunched and watched helplessly as James continued to pound blow after blow into Ryan. Over and over James' fist connected with his face, resulting in more crunching sounds and more blood squirting out.

I screamed in his ear for him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. I didn't know what else to do, so I threw my body onto Ryan, hoping I would snap James out of it.

"Stop, James," I sobbed loudly, tears pouring down my face.

James stood up and grabbed me roughly by the arms, yanking me off of Ryan, holding me against his body.

"Tell me you love me!" he yelled and shook my body violently.

"I do," I cried out.

"Tell me you only want me."

"Only you…" I wanted to calm him down, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "He didn't mean anything… I swear."

"Tell me you forgive me." He held my waist tightly.

"I do forgive you. Please don't hurt him." I quickly looked over at Ryan, who was having trouble sitting up. "I was just using him to get you back because of what you did with Victoria. Please, let's just go back to my house."

"In a minute, angel." He took a step toward Ryan.

"No, James." I grabbed onto his arms. "If you hit him anymore… that's it. I swear to God I will run away and you will never see me again."

He looked as if he was contemplating it and then sighed. "Fine, let's go."

"Let me make sure he's okay and then we'll go." I could see him hesitate, and I pressed my mouth against his. I needed to make sure Ryan was alright, and if that meant kissing James, then so be it.

"Fine." He pulled back and growled. "Make it quick."

I knelt down beside Ryan and wrapped my arms around his body as I tried to help him sit up. I pressed my face against his neck and whispered so only he could hear.

"Dammit, Ryan," I cried softly. "I told you to stop… why didn't you just stop?"

"I'm sorry, Bella," he choked out, turning his face to the side to spit out blood. "I thought I could make him leave you alone."

"I have to go with him."

He struggled for breath. "Don't, Bella."

"Shh, I'll be okay… When we leave, please call Carlisle or Emmett or someone and have them be at my house. I'm going to take James there."

"Bella!" James snapped.

"I'm just making sure he's breathing okay. I don't want him to die."

"Serves him fucking right," he muttered and looked away.

"I got to go," I whispered to Ryan. "Are you okay, or do you want an ambulance?"

He weakly shook his head, "Go. I'm fine… I'll make sure someone is at your house."

"I'm so sorry, Ryan… Please forgive me." I hugged him one last time and walked over to James. We walked to his truck and he kissed me before he buckled me up. The drive back to Forks was quiet, and I prayed that Ryan was able to make a call to someone.

Unfortunately, when we pulled up to my house, no one was there. A feeling of dread washed over me and I started to cry.

"What's wrong, angel?"

"Nothing. I just hope you didn't hurt him too bad."

He helped me out of his truck and waited for me to unlock the house door before he started kissing me ferociously. I was trembling the entire time he carried me up stairs and laid me down on the bed.

"James, wait," I cried, but he ignored me and started kissing more powerfully.

"James, stop… please… I don't want to do this… not yet." He wasn't listening and I started to get scared. I didn't want to have sex and prayed to God that someone would show up and stop him.

"Please, stop, James," I sobbed. The weight of his body prevented mine from moving, and there was nothing I could do but lie there. His hands started to caress my skin under my shirt, his fingers roughly pinching my nipples. One hand snaked down under the waist of my jeans and he forced his fingers inside of me, causing me to yelp out from the sudden intrusion.

"James, stop…. I don't want this… please stop."

His fingers continued to move inside my body as my cries fell onto deaf ears. Suddenly he sat up, and I thought for a minute he was going to stop; but instead he took both of his hands and ripped open my shirt, exposing my breast to him. I cried out before his mouth crashed down on mine, silencing me.

"I love you so much, Bella," he spoke into the kiss. "We were meant to be together. Your body was made for me."

"Please don't do this, James… please."

My panic started to double as his hands began to unbutton my jeans, but before I could focus on yelling, I heard the most beautiful sound. The loose gravel outside was being disturbed, which meant someone had pulled up in the driveway. I smiled inwardly as I heard the slamming of two doors.

James took hold of my face and forced me to look at him. "Change your fucking shirt, Bella, and stop crying. If they find out I'm here, your brother's fucking dead, understand?" I nod and put the first shirt on that I pulled from my dresser. I saw James go into my bathroom and I heard the shower door open.

"Bella?" my brother's voice called from the doorway.

"Up here," I said shakily and wiped my face off before he opened my bedroom door.

"Hey, Ryan called, told us to come get you…" I felt his hands on my shoulders and he turned my body to face him. "Why are you crying? What happened? Did he hurt you, Bella? If someone hurt you, tell me and I'll take care of it." A sob burst out of me and I threw my arms around him. "Tell me, sis, please. I won't let anyone hurt you."

That was my chance. All I had to do was tell my brother and Edward that James was hiding in my bathroom, and the whole mess would be over. I would only have to give them one name, and my nightmare would end. But I didn't. Ryan was going to be a Marine and he stood no chance against James. I wouldn't risk my brother or Edward getting hurt—or worse, being killed—because of me. I would find another way to end my nightmare, but telling my brother would not be the answer.

"Bella," he pressed. "What's going on?"

I pulled out of the hug and wiped my eyes, giving a small laugh. "I'm just sad Ryan's leaving, that's all. He was a really good friend, and I'm worried about him being shipped overseas."

I felt awful for lying to my brother's face, but there was no other way; I had to do it to keep everyone safe. I rode with them back to Esme's and quickly went up to Alice's room. I didn't sleep much that night; my mind was going over what I needed to do. And as soon as the clock read five a.m., I picked up my phone and made the call I should have made a long time ago.

Dialing 411, I hit send and waited to be connected with the operator.

"_City and state, please," _the voice sang through the phone.

"Ridgeway, South Carolina."

"_What listing?"_

After a short pause, I took a deep breath and steadied my voice.

"Parole and Probation."

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**A/N: Duh duh duh... A little cliffy... **

**Leave me some feedback, I'm curious as to what you think **

**and where you see this going?**

**Can you believe I'm already over 100k, and it's not even half way done.**

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**Thank you so much for everyone's condonlences. They meant alot!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Because I left you with a cliffy I felt the need for a quick update. **

**I was blown away by everyone's reviews for last chapter. **

**Thank you so much for reading, I am so glad you like it. **

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**BPOV**

**May 18****th****, 2007**

"Why are you so nervous, Bella?" James reached over and clasped on to my hands that were folded in my lap. It was almost time, and I was terrified of what could happen. They told me he would never know it was me who made the call, but I was still nervous. My stomach was in knots and I was on the brink of puking.

Tonight had been the first time I was alone with James since Sunday and if everything went smoothly, like they promised, then it would also be my last. Sunday night had convinced me once and for all how dangerous James really was. Not only had he been on the verge of raping me, I had to stand helplessly off to the side and watch while he almost killed my friend. I knew that night he had to be stopped; it would be just a matter of time before he did actually kill someone.

I found the courage that next morning and called his parole officer, Tanya Denali. I let her know what state he had been hiding out in and the name he had been using. She made arrangements with me to set him up sort of. Because I knew he would never suspect me, I volunteered to be the one to get him out in the open so they could arrest him. She had been looking for James everywhere and told me she'd fly out here to make the arrest personally.

I called Ryan after she and I had hung up. I wanted to make sure he was alright and let him know what was happening. He was worried for my safety, because anything could happen in the short time I was alone with him, and I agreed. So when I had called James and made our plans, I went over it with the police and they made sure all bases were covered. I convinced James we needed to start over and that meant dating. I wanted him to take me out and show me he could be that sweet guy I fell in love with. He kept trying to get me to meet him certain places, but I refused. I told him I wanted dinner and a movie for our first date.

I told James a bunch of kids from school were coming up to go shopping for prom dresses and I would catch a ride with them and meet him at the theater, but he could drive me home after dinner. Anything could happen if I was alone in a car with him, and I was not going to take that chance and neither were the officers. He agreed, and while we both stared at the ending credits, Tanya and the other officers were in position around the theater. That bit of knowledge should have been a relief to me, but knowing what James was capable of doing if he found out I set him up had me terrified.

"Since we're starting over, technically _this_ is our first date and I guess you're allowed to be nervous." He laughed and kissed the side of my neck. "Are you ready to go get something to eat, angel?"

I nodded fervently and he took my hand as we stood and walked through the aisles. We stopped by the concession stands, and I told James I needed to use the bathroom.

"I'll be right back." I waited for the door to close and then ran into the farthest stall and quickly texted Tanya.

_Movie's finished. We're coming out._

I anxiously waited for her text and tried to control my breathing.

_We're ready!_

Those two words brought tears to my eyes and had my stomach in a frenzy. I hoped we could pull this off without anyone getting hurt. As much as James terrified me, I didn't enjoy violence, even if it was justified. My fingers quickly turned my phone off, and I splashed water on my face before I stepped back out to the lobby.

James was waiting for me with a smile on his face and quickly scooped me in his arms, molding his lips to mine. I found the will to keep the puke down as his lips started to move back and forth. His kisses that were once riddled with sparks of lust and feelings of love now haunted and disgusted me.

"Let's go, baby. I'm hungry." I pulled away from his mouth and faked a smile.

He kissed the tip of my nose and turned us towards the door. James enlaced our fingers as we walked through the doors and outside in the cool night. We made it a few feet before things started.

A man dressed in jeans and a dark jacket walked over to us with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

"Hey, got a light?" he peacefully asked James.

James smiled and let go of my hand to reach in his jacket pocket for a lighter and handed it to the man. I watched as the man lit his cigarette and knew that was the signal. Very slowly, I took a step back and then another and another as the man handed the lighter back to James. My heart was beating wildly and my entire body was trembling; we had gone over the scenario several times, but actually watching it play out shoved my heart into my throat.

The undercover officer took a long drag and very cool-like blew out his smoke and smiled. "Thanks, Marcus."

"No, problem," James said and placed the lighter back in his pocket. I watched his features change as the man's words slowly registered. "What did you say?" James scowled.

"You know…" he held the cigarette up in the air "…these things will kill ya." And then he flicked the cigarette in the street.

"Come on, Bella." James' hand reached into the empty space searching for mine. When his fingers came up empty, he turned to try and find me. My scared eyes locked onto the piercing blue orbs as I stood almost five feet behind him, my side pressed against the wall as I continued my retreat.

The moment James took a step towards me, officers sprung out of every direction, pointing their guns.

"Don't move," the undercover officer ordered.

"Bella," he sneered, his eyes shooting daggers at me. I bit my lip to keep it from trembling and took another step away from James.

"I said freeze!" they yelled, but he ignored them and took another step towards me.

"Bella," he growled. Tears fell down my cheeks as I looked at the murderous glare he was projecting at me.

Before he took another step, a woman's voice yelled from the side. "Marcus Tucker!" Tanya stepped around the undercover.

His head whipped to the side and he snarled. "_Tanya_."

"Long time, no see," she taunted and held up a pair of hand cuffs. "I'm pretty sure your parole states you are not to leave county limits."

As Tanya approached James, I let out a sigh of relief; it was over. They were going to arrest him and take him back to South Carolina, far away from me. I could hear James and her still talking when an officer walked over to me and lightly patted my back.

"Good job, Miss Swan." He smiled and walked away.

My body slowly slouched against the wall, exhausted from being terrorized the last few months but completely relieved everything was over. He wouldn't be around to scare or hurt me anymore. They were going to take him to prison and I'd finally be free from him. I ran my fingers through my hair and smiled.

"Miss Swan." I heard one of the officers call my name and I looked up. "Will you come over here for a minute? We just need to ask you a few more questions."

I nodded gently and pushed myself off the wall. As I started walking towards the officer, I heard commotion to my left and turned in time to see James struggling to get to me. There were six officers trying to hold him back while his feet continued to push towards me.

"Bella!" he screamed, and his arms stretched out to try and grab me. His brows furrowed and his eyes were glazed over, glaring intently at me. I stood breathless and dizzy, so afraid of what he would do to me if he got past them. An officer jumped in front of me, blocking his view, but couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"I'm gonna fucking find you, Bella. Remember that," he spat out venomously.

"Larsen, take Bella over to Cooper… Jenks, get Marcus in the car!" I heard Tanya yell. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my shoulders and guide me away quickly, but it didn't stop James from threatening me.

"I'll be back for you!" he shouted.

"Shut up, Tucker, and stop resisting!" I glanced behind me and saw James' ice cold stare locked on to me like a homing device. He continued to struggle against the officers but kept his menacing glare trained on my every move.

"You're mine, Bella, and I promise I will find you!" He continued to threaten me as I watched him get tackled to the ground and finally handcuffed.

"Every night you go to sleep, you'll be thinking if this is the night I'm coming for you." He released a sinister laugh.

"Enough, Tucker! Larsen, get her out of here!"

"This won't keep me from you… I'll be back, Bella!" he yelled. Tears poured down my face, and my body lost the ability to move as I saw the promise in his eyes. Even with handcuffs on, James continued to fight the officers; he used everything he had to try and get to me. "You can't hide from me! I'll find you!" he hissed as he was slammed against the squad car. I stood like a statue and sobbed uncontrollably. I thought my nightmare was over, I thought I was going to be safe, but the look on his face let me know he was never going to let me go.

"Larsen, God dammit, get her out of here!" I felt a pair of arms lift me up and carry me bridal style. I latched on and cried into his neck while the sound of James' threats started to fade.

"He can't hurt you anymore. You're safe now," the officer tried to soothe, but I knew better. He was the predator and I was his prey; James was going to stop at nothing to get what he wanted. The thought of him coming after me made me dizzy and had my stomach twisting; I was unable to keep myself from vomiting and had to quickly dart behind a car. I didn't have much in my stomach to puke, so I ended up dry-heaving.

Officer Cooper walked over when I was finished and handed me a tissue and bottle of water. I tried to clean up and rinse my mouth out the best I could, but I was unable to stop trembling.

"She okay?" I heard a female ask.

"I think she's just shaken up."

"Bella." I felt a gentle touch on my arm. "Bella, its Tanya. You're safe now, sweetie."

"Where is he?" I hated how pathetic my voice came out.

"He's in the back of a squad car."

"What's going to happen to him?" I asked meekly, finally looking into her eyes.

"I'll fly him back to South Carolina and take him before the judge. He'll be booked for jumping state lines and his probation will be revoked, which means he's going to sit the next two years in prison."

I wasn't sure how to react to that. I mean, two years is a long time, but when you think about all that he had put me through, it didn't seem like enough. One thing I knew for sure was I planned on being out of Forks before he got out.

"I want to say thank you, Bella, for helping us." She reached over and lightly rubbed my shoulder. "You are a remarkably brave girl to do what you did."

"I feel like I made it worse." I sniffed and wiped my tears. "He was so mad at me."

"Bella." She pulled me into her side for a hug. "You did the right thing."

Tanya got a call letting her know the plane would be ready in four hours, giving her plenty of time to drive to Seattle. I was given her card and told to call her if I needed anything or if I wanted an update on James. I only hoped that he would get over his obsession by the time he was released.

Ryan showed up shortly after Tanya drove away, and he dropped me off at Esme's. Emmett was in Seattle, and even though I knew James was gone, I didn't want to stay in that house.

"Thank you," I told him as we pulled into the driveway.

"No problem, Bella." Ryan ran a hand through his shaggy hair and turned towards me as I opened the door. "Will you call me tomorrow? I know James is gone but I'd still like to know how you're doing."

"Yeah." I smiled softly. "I'll call you when I wake up."

When I got inside, Esme, Alice and Jasper were in the living room playing Monopoly and asked if I wanted to join in.

"You can be the banker." Alice beamed.

"No thank you," I politely declined. "I'm kind of tired."

"You sure?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, I'll just watch."

"How was your date with Ryan?" Alice grinned. I didn't tell her I was going on a date; I just said I was going to hang with Ryan. I needed a cover for today and Ryan agreed.

"Alice, it wasn't a date." I sighed. "He's my friend and he's leaving soon. I just like spending time with him." She simply shrugged her shoulders and rolled the dice.

Poor Ryan, he was such a good person, and he had so many goals he wanted to accomplish; it wasn't his fault he got sucked into my horrible mess. His dream of becoming a Marine was almost stolen from him; James could have killed him that night all because of me. I felt horrible; everything that night was my fault.

"Bella, are you okay?" Esme's soft voice asked. "You look kind of pale, honey."

I shook my head to snap myself from my pity party and cleared my throat. "I haven't been feeling too good lately. Umm… I'm gonna get something to drink. Do you guys want anything?"

"Snapple, please."

"Dr. Pepper."

"I'll take a bottled water, honey."

"K, be right back." I stood on shaky legs and willed myself not to fall. The emotional roller coaster I had been on lately was taking a giant toll on my poor body; I wasn't sure how much more I could take. I made it to the kitchen and quickly gripped the countertop when my head started to spin.

"Bella, what's the matter?" Carlisle was at my side in an instant.

"I don't know." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I just got really dizzy."

"Come here and sit down." His arms wrapped around me and helped me sit at the bar. "What time did you last eat?"

"Umm, I think around noon." I gently rubbed my eyes.

"Bella, it's past nine," he scolded mildly.

"I know… I just haven't been feeling well lately."

"What do you mean?" I heard a stool scoot out and felt his hand touch my forehead. "You don't have a fever," he reassured.

"I'm just really queasy and tired."

"Any vomiting or diarrhea?" Always the doctor… I had to laugh.

"Sometimes when I get dizzy, I throw up."

He stood and walked towards the fridge. "How long have you been feeling this way?" He pulled out a bottled water and handed me an apple.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Not sure, really." I thought about it for a minute and took a bite of the apple. "I guess – for a few weeks now, it just feels like my stomach is in knots, like I'm nervous all the time."

"Hmmm." His eyes had a faraway look in them, and I worried for a moment about what he was thinking.

"What do you think it is?" I asked skeptically.

"Huh? Oh, it sounds like the flu, except you don't have a fever. If you have been skipping meals, I am pretty sure this is your body's way of letting you know it needs nutrients." He laughed quietly.

"K… you had a look there for a second that freaked me out." I took another bite of my apple.

"Sorry, I tend to overanalyze things," he said apologetically. "I can warm you up some meatloaf; do you think you could keep it down?"

"Actually, I kind of feel like scrambled eggs." I smiled shyly. "I can make them, though."

"Nonsense, you sit right there and watch the master at work." He gave a swift nod and grabbed the eggs out of the fridge.

I had already finished my apple by the time Carlisle handed me my plate, and I quickly dug in.

"I see how it is," a little pixie whined at the archway. "We're out there dying of thirst, and you're in here feeding your face." I could tell she was joking, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"You coming in there when you're done?" she spoke into the fridge as she dug out their drinks.

"I'm kind of tired. I was thinking of going up to bed."

"Okay, well, love you. See you in the morning." Then she bounced out of the kitchen.

Carlisle was cleaning up his mess, and I walked over to the sink and gave him a hug. "Thank you for cooking. It was very good."

"You're welcome, Bella. I'll see you in the morning."

Sleep didn't come easily; I found myself tossing and turning most of the night. Every noise I heard, I worried it was James coming to get me. When I finally managed to fall asleep, I woke up in a cold sweat; James' cold stare and threatening words haunted my dreams, and I barely made it to the bathroom before I got sick.

I watched the clock turn to six, then seven, and by eight I got out of bed and took a shower. There was no point in lying in bed when I wouldn't be able to get any sleep. I didn't plan on going anywhere, so I dressed in a black pair of leggings and a comfy shirt. I called Ryan and let him know that I was okay and was going to spend another night at Alice's.

"_If you want to do anything today, just give me a call."_

"I will, but I think I'll just hang out here." A soft knock came from the other side of the door. "Hold on, Ryan… It's open."

"Hey, Bella." Carlisle hesitated by the door. "Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah, come on in – hey, Ryan, can I call you back?"

"_Yeah, call me later, I'm going back to bed." _He yawned and I laughed.

"K, bye." I flipped my phone shut and set it on the night table. "What's up?" I asked and motioned for Carlisle to join me on the bed.

"Umm… I wanted to talk to you about something," he said cautiously, and I nodded my head in encouragement.

"I've been thinking about something all night and – you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but …" I had never seen Carlisle flustered before, and it had my mind racing. A tiny jolt of panic shot up my spine when I thought maybe he had found out about James, but there was no way he could have. At least I hoped there wasn't.

"I want you to know that anything we talk about is only between us. You're my goddaughter and I would never break your trust." I smiled at what a good-hearted person and a wonderful dad he was. "Not only would I never break your trust, but you're also protected under HIPAA." I quirked my head to the side.

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, completely puzzled.

"I need to ask you something… personal," he said softly.

"What's the matter, Carlisle?" My voice was a little on edge; my body had been through enough ups and downs and I was starting to get anxious, waiting for him to ask something. "You can ask me anything you need to, Carlisle."

He took a deep breath and finally spat it out. "Is there a chance you could be pregnant?"

That was not a question I was expecting, and all the air left my body. "_What_?"

"Is there a chance that you might be pregnant?" he asked again with the same loving tone, and I quickly averted my eyes.

He couldn't be serious; I didn't understand why he would think that. I shook my head and whispered, "No," but even I wasn't entirely convinced.

"Are you having sex?" he asked quietly.

I couldn't meet his eyes. Carlisle was the only person alive that I respected more than my brother. There was no way I could look him in the eyes and tell him I wasn't a virgin.

"Bella." His voice was soft and he gently placed a hand on my trembling knee. "I won't think any less of you, I swear, but if you are having sex – these symptoms fit those of pregnancy and we should take a test to rule that out."

Pregnant? There was no way I could be pregnant; we were always careful.

My body seemed like it was working on auto-pilot as I considered the possibility. I was a sophomore in high school; what would I do with a baby? More frightening, though, was what would James do if I was pregnant? I could feel the blood drain from my face.

"No… no." My throat suddenly felt thick and I shook my head. "I can't be pregnant," I whispered.

"Bella, honey, it'll be alright," he said, trying to calm me.

"But… but… we always used condoms... I mean…" My mind suddenly assaulted me with memories from the weekend in February. "Except for that one time…" I said more to myself.

"When was your last period, Bella?" he inquired kindly.

"But Carlisle—" My head snapped up to make eye contact. Tears sprang to my eyes and I silently begged his gentle hazel orbs to tell me it wasn't true. "It was only that one time."

"How long ago, honey?"

"February. I started it a few days before Valentine's Day." I sobbed into my hands and he pulled me against his chest, comforting me.

"That would make you close to around three and half months if that's the case." He softly rubbed my back.

"Carlisle," I cried. "What am I going to do?"

"Shh, it's going to be alright, Bella." He gently stroked my hair. "First things first, we're going to the hospital and get a blood test done to find out for sure if you are pregnant. Then we'll go from there. Go ahead and put some shoes on. Alice is in the shower and I think we better head out before she gets out."

I agreed and quickly slid into my shoes and followed him to his car. Twenty minutes later, he handed a nurse my blood and ordered the results stat. Those were the longest ten minutes of my life. The door opened and Carlisle was handed a chart, which he quickly looked at and then quietly ushered me into his office.

"It's positive, isn't it?" I didn't need to hear him say it, I already knew, but the sympathetic look in his eyes confirmed it for me. "Oh my God, Carlisle… what am I going to do?"

"Bella," he said calmly and gathered me in his arms. "It'll be okay." I stayed in his lap crying for what seemed liked hours; he rocked me softly the entire time and whispered over and over that it was going to be okay.

"How am I going to finish school? I can't keep it a secret…. Oh my God! What is Emmett going to say?" I looked at him, panicky.

"We'll tell them together, Bella. I'll be right there."

"Promise? I don't think I can do it alone."

"I promise, Bella." I nodded and he handed me a tissue. "Do you want me to help you tell the father?"

A lump formed in my throat and it became hard to swallow. I didn't know what to do. There was no way I could tell anyone about James, but I wasn't sure how I would be able to keep the father of the baby a secret. No one could know; I couldn't risk James ever finding out. Even if that made me look like a slut or a bad person, I would never reveal who the father was.

"No." I looked down at my shoes. "There is no father."

"Bella, don't you think he has a right to know?" I shook my head. "I'll be right there with you. I'll even call him for you, if you want."

"Carlisle, please," I begged. "I respect you more than anyone else, and I never want to lie to you… but I can't tell you who he is… I won't. And if it comes down to it, I'll say I slept around and be known as a slut. But I need you to know right now… I'm never going to tell you who it is."

He shut his eyes and I saw him swallow thickly and exhale heavily before he opened them. "Were you raped, Bella?"

"No." My head shook violently and I watched him breathe a sigh of relief. "God, I didn't mean to make you think that... but… he was mean and he hurt me a lot." I saw his eyes darken and felt his hands squeeze a little tighter. "But he's gone now, Carlisle, and I need him to stay gone. That's why I can't ever tell you who he is. Please understand."

After a few minutes he shook his head. "Alright, Bella… I'll respect your wishes. But if someone was hurting you, I hope you know you can come to me. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that person is punished."

"I know and thank you, but it's over now."

"Okay."

"What do we do now?"

"Well…" He stood up and walked over to his desk. "I want you to see Rebecca in Labor and Delivery. She can get you started with the basics until you can see a regular OB doctor on Monday. Then we're going to call the family and schedule a meeting for tonight."

"Tonight?" My voice was a little raised and my heart started to beat faster.

"Yes, Bella, tonight. The sooner the family knows, the better." His voice let me know that was the final decision.

Carlisle walked me over to Rebecca and explained to her the situation. I was relieved when she didn't cast any dirty looks or talk down to me; she was very kind and explained everything that she was doing and why she was doing it. Carlisle stayed with me the whole time and explained things to me when I got confused.

"Alright, Bella." She pulled out a thin plastic circle, about the size of a CD case, and started sliding certain pieces around. "When was the first day of your last period?"

"February, 11th or 12th… I'm not really sure, but I know it was before Valentine's Day," I answered nervously.

"Alright, we'll go with the 11th." She slid a piece of the wheel and quickly wrote something down. "Your baby is due November 18th, which makes you one day shy of 14 weeks." I don't know why, but hearing her say that made it all so real; and even though I was scared, I couldn't help but smile.

"Lie on your back and lift your shirt to the bottom of your bra."

"What?" I looked at her and then at Carlisle.

"I need to measure your stomach, and we're going to try and hear the baby's heartbeat." She smiled at me.

"You can hear the heartbeat?" My eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Mmm hmm."

"Do you want me to leave the room, Bella?" Carlisle asked politely.

"No." I reached out to grab his hand. "I want you to stay."

He smiled down at me and moved to the side of the table. Rebecca took a fabric measuring tape and placed it over my belly twice.

Curious, I asked, "Why are you measuring my stomach?"

"I'm checking the growth of your baby; I measure from the top of your pubic bone – right here – to the top of your uterus – right there. As your pregnancy progresses, this distance should continue to increase. You see, when you're around 20 weeks your measurement should read 20 centimeters, and so on. It helps us keep track of the growth.

"Oh," I said shyly. "Thank you."

"Don't ever be afraid to ask questions, Bella. You need to be aware of your body and things that are happening to it. Don't ever feel like any question is a dumb one." She smiled and reached into a drawer. "This…" she held up a wand type thing "…is a Doppler. We're going to see if we can hear a heartbeat in there."

She tucked a towel under the top of my jeans and squirted a little bit of gel stuff over my stomach. When she was finished, she pressed the wand a little firmly into my belly and then slowly started to move it around. I didn't know what I was listening for, and the first few seconds all I heard was static. Then she moved the tip a little north and….

_Whew whew whew whew_

I knew what it was the moment I heard it—that sound was my baby's heartbeat. I had a life growing inside of me. A smile bigger than I had ever thought possible stretched across my face, and I started to laugh softly through my tears. I looked over at Rebecca who smiled back at me, and then my eyes drifted to Carlisle.

"That's my grandbaby," he said proudly, and I watched a single tear roll down his cheek. I beamed at his words and happy tears continued to run down my face.

"149,"Rebecca said and looked at me. "Strong little heart." She pulled the wand off my stomach and wiped away the gel. "I'm going to get you started with prenatal vitamins, and you need to remember to make an appointment with Heather on Monday."

"I will," I promised as I wiped my tears.

"Congratulations, and I guess I'll be seeing you when you're scheduled for an ultrasound."Carlisle thanked her and we walked towards the car. He came around to open my door and I threw my arms around his neck.

"Thank you so much," I sobbed lightly. "You don't know how much that meant to me."

"You're welcome, Bella, and I meant it." He pulled back gently. "That is my grandbaby, and I will do everything I can to help you, and right now I'm going to call and arrange for everyone to meet at five."

It was hard not acting like nothing was wrong when Carlisle and I got back to his house. Alice and Jasper were in the living room and Esme was in the kitchen. Alice wanted me to watch a movie with them, but I made the excuse of being tired and went up to my room. It was barely noon and I had a long time to wait for everyone to drive down.

I lay down on the bed, thinking of all that happened in the last hour, and brought my hand to rest against my lower belly. I wasn't sure how I never noticed before, but as I lay my hand against my skin, I could definitely feel a tiny bump. I was going to be someone's mom. It was hard to try and grasp that fact, but as my hand rubbed back and forth over the little lump of skin, there was no denying what was growing inside me.

I started to worry about what my brother was going to say. I didn't know what I was going to do if I had to see disappointment in his eyes. He was such a good brother, and now I was going to have to add more stress into his life; a wave of guilt washed over me as I thought of what that would mean for him. He had given up so much to take care of me, sacrificed a full college experience to stay behind with me, and now I was going to add to that burden. I rolled over and stared out the window until l I dozed off.

I woke up some time later when Carlisle walked over and sat on the bed next to me.

"Hey." I stretched and slowly sat up.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better… I didn't realize how tired I was." I blushed slightly. "I laid my head down for a second and next thing I know you're waking me up."

He smiled kindly. "That's to be expected, Bella. You're going to be noticing a lot of changes… I didn't want to wake you up, but everyone should be here in about fifteen minutes."

I shot up. "It's five already?" I began to panic. "I'm so scared to tell Emmett."

"I promised you I'd be right there." His hands gently touched my shoulders. "Everything is going to be okay."

I shook my head. "What if he hates me for this? I couldn't bear the thought of him resenting the baby."

"Your brother loves you and nothing is going to make him hate you. I think I know your brother enough to say he will definitely not resent the baby," he said, trying to reassure me.

"But what if he doesn't want me to keep it? I don't think I could ever give the baby away, especially after hearing the heartbeat."

"Bella, trust what your heart says." He kissed my forehead and hugged me to him. "I know you're worried… but let's take one thing at a time, alright? I don't want you to start worrying over things that aren't certain."

I took a deep breath and agreed.

"OK, let's head to the dining room." He guided me out of the room. "Esme, Alice and Jasper are already there. We'll wait with them for the others."

I walked with Carlisle into the dining room to join the others and sat next to him at the head of the table. I lifted my eyes from the floor and could see curiosity written all over their faces. My stomach twisted into knots and I bit my lip to keep it from trembling.

Alice couldn't contain herself and went to ask a question, but Carlisle held up his hand and silenced her. "We'll wait for the others," he spoke gently but with authority. Not two minutes later the front door opened and everyone walked in.

"Mom? Dad?" Edward's voice in the entryway broke the silence.

"In here, everyone."

My heart was beating erratically and I had to wipe the sweat from my hands on my pants. I watched as they filed into the room, one after another. My stomach dropped and I suddenly felt like I was being offered to the firing squad.

"What's going on?" I heard Emmett say as he sat next to Rose, who sat next to Edward on my left. The others were to the right of Carlisle.

There was a moment of silence, and I could feel everyone's eyes on me and Carlisle. It felt like I was being suffocated; it became too overwhelming and I started to cry.

Carlisle quickly placed an arm around me and started to talk.

"Something important is going to be said, and before it's done, I want to remind all of you that we are family." I sniffed into his side. "We're going to wait until Bella is finished before anyone speaks, agreed?" I assumed everyone nodded because Carlisle continued. "Alright, Bella," he spoke in my ear. "Take a deep breath and start when you're ready."

I took a shuddering breath and kept my head down; I was too afraid to look up. I didn't want to see a look of disgust on my brother's face. I tried to open my mouth and say something, but no sound came out; I was terrified of them to not wanting the baby, and I started to cry harder.

"Do you want me to tell them, Bella?" Carlisle asked warmly.

I shook my head because I knew this needed to come from me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me; I heard the sounds of the grandfather clock in the next room and it felt like it was ticking away at me, taunting me. It took me a while before I could finally look up and make eye contact with my brother. I wanted so badly to close my eyes, but I knew if I looked away I would lose my nerve. I kept my eyes locked with his and figured the easiest way would be to just spit it out.

"Go ahead, Sweetie," Carlisle encouraged.

"Bella," Emmett's voice followed Carlisle's. "What's the matter?"

I could see the questions in his eyes and the concern on his face, and more tears fell down my cheeks. I hated what I was about to do to him. I took a deep breath, and with a gentle squeeze on my hand from Carlisle, I cleared my throat and never looked away from my brother's eyes.

"Em…" I stopped when my voice cracked and I took another deep breath. I brought my shaky hands to my face and wiped my tears before I started again.

"Em – I'm pregnant."

The entire room gasped around me, then fell into an eerie silence, but I didn't look away from my brother. I watched as several emotions flickered behind his eyes while he continued to stare at me, not saying anything. I saw his chest rise and fall as his breathing started to quicken and become heavy. Then suddenly he stood and quietly left the room.

I watched his retreating form and bit my lip to keep the sob from escaping. Everyone was quiet, obviously in shock, but I refused to make eye contact with anyone. A few moments after Emmett walked away, we heard a large bang come from the other room, causing everyone to jump. I looked over at Carlisle then back towards the archway when I heard Emmett walk back into the room. He seemed calm and approached me slowly, then gently pulled me from my chair and into a big hug, kissing my forehead.

"I love you Belly Bear," he said, his voice cracking, and I hugged him for dear life. We stood in front of everyone, holding each other and crying together. I could hear others around me sobbing lightly, and I was afraid I disappointed more than just my brother.

"I'm sorry," I cried into his neck.

"Shh," he soothed. "We're gonna be fine, I promise."

"Please don't hate me," I sobbed.

"I could never hate you, sis."

"Or the baby," I added. "Please don't hate the baby."

He pulled away from me and gently set me on my feet. His large form towered over me and he bent slightly so we were eye to eye. "I would never, ever, hate anything that came from you, understand?" I nodded and wiped my cheeks. He kissed my forehead lightly. "I'm gonna be an uncle." And then he smiled from ear to ear.

I launched myself back into his arms and cried once more, relieved that he wanted the baby.

"Thank you, Emmett," I cried. "Thank you."

He held me until I stopped crying and then he sat back down in his chair. Carlisle smiled as I sat down and turned to look at the family.

"Today has been very emotional for Bella; I ask every one of you to keep that in mind before you start to ask her questions. She was very worried about everyone hating her or thinking less of her, and I want you all to know that if any of you have any negative feelings about this situation…" I stared wide eyed as I heard the harshness in his voice "…you keep them to yourselves. This is a blessing, and after I heard my grandbaby's heartbeat this morning…" I saw his chest rise with pride again "…I refuse to have anyone speaking negatively in my house, understood?" Everyone answered yes, and I quickly wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"How far along are you, dear?" Esme's soft voice asked from across the table. I lifted my head and smiled at her kind eyes.

"14 weeks tomorrow."

"Can I go with you for your next appointment?" Rosalie asked.

I smiled. "Yeah, I have to call on Monday to set it up, but yeah… I'd like that."

"This means we get to go shopping, Bella!" Alice clapped and bounced excitedly in her chair, earning a few laughs from the room, removing most of my anxiety.

The girls and I were talking about a shopping trip when I heard a low voice call my name. I looked over and found Edward fidgeting with his fingers, eyes cast downward.

"Bella…" He hesitated and finally looked at me. "Can I ask you something?" He looked… sad, almost heartbroken.

"Yeah…" I replied a little reluctantly. It scared me to think of him being disappointed in me. Something was obviously bothering him and I only hoped it wasn't the baby.

"Bella – Who's the dad?" The entire room fell silent. I couldn't answer him. My eyes immediately looked at my hands folded on the table, and I solemnly shook my head.

"Bella?" That time it was Emmett who asked. "Who is he?"

"I can't tell you," I said quietly.

"Are you afraid we'll beat him up?" He tried to joke, but I didn't smile.

"Do we know him?" Edward asked.

I looked to Carlisle for help, and he placed his hand on my shoulder and looked at the table.

"Okay, everyone. I think that's enough for right now."

"Bella, who's the dad?" Emmett asked more fiercely, and I quickly looked back down at my hands.

"I can't, Emmett." My voice was pleading.

"Is it Ryan?" Edward's voice came out cold, and I quickly answered.

"No! God no, he's just been an incredible friend, I promise." That seemed to suffice Edward but not Emmett.

"Who is he, Bella?"

"Stop, Em."

"Tell me," he said more forcefully, and I decided to answer by shaking my head.

"Bella," he demanded.

"I can't…. I can't tell you, Emmett, so please drop it."

Carlisle cut in before he could try and intimidate me further. "Emmett, that's enough."

A dead silence fell upon the room. Emmett closed his eyes and buried his head in his hands, obviously trying to calm down.

"I'm sorry, Emmett… I just… I can't tell you who he is," I sobbed as I watched my brother roughly scrub his hands over his face before looking at me.

His eyes were glazed over like he was on the verge of tears when he finally calmed enough to speak.

"Were you…" Emmett took a moment and cleared his throat. "Were you raped?"

I shook my head no and a group of sighs were exhaled throughout the room.

"Does he know about the baby?" Edward asked after a short period of time.

"No," Carlisle stated. "And she'd like to keep it that way. This is obviously causing her a great deal of pain, not being able to tell you. But we need to respect her wishes and drop it. If she doesn't want us to know, then she must have her reasons. Now – can everyone accept that?"

I watched as they agreed with Carlisle, all but Emmett and Edward.

"Please," I begged them both.

"Is that what you really want, Bella?" Edward's sad eyes met mine.

"Yes, please… both of you… please, don't ever ask about him again." My eyes darted between the two.

Edward was the first to nod. "Alright, Bella." His eyes lost some sadness and he smiled at me.

I returned it and looked at my brother, who briefly shook his head, then glanced at me with a calculated expression and stood up. "Okay, Belly Bear – on one condition." He paused and I swallowed thickly. "If it's a boy, I get to buy him a kiddy dirt bike for his birthday." Then he grinned.

"You're such a jerk, Emmett. You had me scared to death." I walked over and jumped in his arms. "I love you, Em."

"I love you, too." He released me carefully and his shoulder nudged my arm playfully. "I'm glad it's not Ryan… I would have hated hitting someone who already had a black eye."

"Shut up, Emmett," I teased him back.

"I'm sorry I pushed, Bella," Edward whispered and drew me in for a hug. "Are you happy? I mean, about the baby… it was a surprise, right?" He gently pulled back.

"Yeah, it was a surprise… but…" I smiled up at him "…I am very happy."

His hand reached out like he was going to touch me and then hesitated. "Can I… umm… do you mind…" He ran a hand through his hair and stared at my stomach. I laughed inwardly at how flustered he was. His eyes snapped to mine. "Can I feel it?"

He was the first person to ask and I was a little taken aback. I had just barely discovered the bump myself a few hours ago, and now Edward wanted to touch it. I could see his expression change when he thought my hesitation was a rejection, so I quickly snatched his hand and placed it on my stomach.

My lower belly was fully covered by his soft hand, and I watched as he slowly moved his palm around, gently caressing the tiny bump. His touch was completely innocent, but something about the way his hand roamed over the baby provoked a feeling much more intense than common intimacy and shot warmth throughout my body. I couldn't help but smile as his eyes focused on the movements of his hand before his beautiful green eyes looked up and saw me staring back.

Something had changed the moment I felt his hands on my stomach, a feeling I had never felt towards Edward slowly spread throughout my body, threatening to knock me over. My heart swelled and my body started to tingle as we stood there staring at each other, his hand still on my belly. His touch let me know he would protect me, that he would keep us safe. But his eyes displayed something so powerful it made my heart skip a beat, and I slowly brought my hand to rest on top of his. I had never thought of Edward as more than a brother-type, but the instant his hand touched my skin, feelings deeper than that of a brother/sister relationship ignited and threatened to swallow me whole.

We stood silently with my hand resting on his, smiling at each other, my grin probably looking as goofy as his, until a voice broke the spell and our connection was broken.

"Can I feel?" Rosalie asked with Alice bouncing excitedly next to her.

"Of course."

I spent the rest of the night with my family, talking babies and shopping, but my mind kept drifting back to Edward and his touch. I wasn't sure what happened during our little moment in the dining room, but I did know for certain I wanted to feel that way again.

* * *

**A/N: So, she's pregnant... We're getting closer to the present time. **

**What did you think about my E/B moment at the end? Just a small taste...lol**

**There will be more to come, my lovely readers. **

**Leave me your thoughts. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Thank you, everyone for reading. **

**We are almost caught up to present.... can't wait.**

* * *

**BPOV  
May 21****st****, 2007**

"_Dr. Smith's office_."

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan, umm – I just found out I was pregnant and wanted to make an appointment to see Heather."

"Ok, Bella. Have you ever been seen here before?"

"No," I said a nervously. "This is my first time being pregnant."

"Ok, well she has an opening at 10:30 this morning, does that work for you?"

"Yes," I said a little too anxiously.

"Alright, you need to show up a little early so you can fill out paperwork."

"Ok, thank you." I hung up and looked over at seven curious faces.

"Could she get you in?" Carlisle asked.

I nodded. "Yea, she had an opening at 10:30 but I need to be there early so I can fill out paperwork," I smiled.

"Yay!" Alice clapped. "Do we get to see the baby today? Can we all go? Do you think we can all fit in the room?" She rambled on and we all started laughing.

"Are you sure you all want to go?" they looked at me as if to say 'duh'.

Everyone of my family went with me to the Dr.'s office. It was nice and awkward at the same time. Knowing they all wanted to be part of the baby's life had me on the brink of tears. They had all missed the day's classes to be here with me, even Jasper. I had been so worried that they would be appalled when I told them I was pregnant, but it was quite the opposite, they were excited. I just didn't understand what they thought was going to happen at the doctor's, I mean not everyone needed to be there, but they all had their reasons, and I was ok with that. Beside I really didn't want to go by myself and with them all wanting to come it kept me from having to choose one and not the other.

Nancy, the lady in the front office, handed me a clipboard with a stack of papers to fill out and I got to work. I was a little nervous answering some of the questions because they were pretty personal. When I got to a section about my sexual history, I blushed and looked up making sure no one was looking, I didn't want anyone to see what I would write, lucky for me they weren't paying attention. I had asked Carlisle to have a talk with Heather since they were old friends; I wanted him to give her a summary of the situation. When I finished with the papers, I handed it back to the Nancy and sat back down.

"Bell Swan?" A nurse smiled and held the door open, looking around at our group.

"That's me," I stood anxiously.

"Come on back," she smiled.

"Umm, can my family come back with me?" I saw her eyes glancing towards every one and she pulled her eyebrows together slightly.

"Let me go ask Heather. I'll be right back." She softly shut the door and I felt Alice come stand next to me.

A few minutes later an older woman opened the door and smiled.

"Hello Carlisle– Esme," she walked over and shook their hands.

"Heather," they both smiled and Carlisle gestured towards me.

"You must be, Bella," her voice was very friendly, settling my nerves immensely.

"Hi," my reply was barely audible but she smiled and turned back towards Carlisle.

"I would have no problem with everyone coming in the room, but because this is Bella's first visit, I'm pretty sure she won't want all you men in the room." I felt my face heating up as I thought about what she meant. "If you want someone in there with you, Bella, I would suggest letting the girls come."

"Ok." I felt bad because they had all wanted to come with me but there was no way I wanted them in the room if my "who ha" was on display.

The nurse checked my weight and then showed us into a room. I knew this was a room for women who were pregnant because the walls were covered with very graphic posters of a woman's body and a child growing inside at different stages. They were very educational actually.

Heather was a very warm and friendly person. She didn't look at me like I was an irresponsible teenager who had just ruined her life. She looked and talked to me like she would any first time mom. She explained what she was doing and gave me a lot of information about to take home and read.

Esme, Alice and Rosalie all cried when we heard the baby's heart beat. I was still so amazed that that was my baby we were hearing and I couldn't stop smiling. Heather left and instructed me to take off my pants and underwear and climb under the sheet, they turned their heads until I gave them the all clear. My exam was uncomfortable but Heather told me everything was fine, said I could get dressed and to meet her out front.

She wanted to see me again in a couple weeks and scheduled me on June 18th and ordered me an ultrasound. I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face when I thought about finally being able to see my baby. I had to make a stop at the lab for blood work but afterwards I was able to leave.

Edward, jasper and Rose needed to head back to Seattle, so we all went out to lunch before they left. I thanked them all for staying even though they weren't able go in the room, but made sure they would be there for the ultrasound. Their classes would be done in three more weeks and then they'd be home. Rosalie was the only one doing a summer program, but she got three weeks for a break before it started.

Emmett and I went home after they left and decided to clean up house. We watched movies after wards and talked a little before it was time for me to go to sleep. I had school in the morning and I asked Emmett if we could hold off telling anyone that I was pregnant until after I was done with sophomore year. He agreed. I wasn't exactly showing and I knew eventually we would have to tell people, but I didn't want to have to deal with it so close to the end of the school year.

The week flew by and I only a few bad dreams, which I tried my best to forget. It was frustrating how much James could still haunt me. The dreams were always different but ended up the same, James' hand's around my neck, his face hovering over me, his voice telling me I was his, and right before all the life was sucked out of me I would wake up. I hated that he affected me so bad, it was horrible having to fear going to sleep, scared that when I woke up I'd see his face, but I tried my best to remember he was clear across country, behind bars.

Sunday Ryan left for the Marines and I cried as I watched him driveway. He promised to write me and told me he'd call when he could get the chance. I was going to miss him though; he had truly become one of my best friends.

The weeks up to my ultrasound were both wonderful and tiring. My belly seemed to have grown over night and at four months there was definitely a bump, I could cup my hand over it. It was exhilarating watching my stomach grow and knowing that my baby was inside. I could still wear my regular clothes even with my stomach protruding; it just brought a lot of attention to me if I didn't have a jacket or sweatshirt covering it up. And that I refused to do now with school being over. I was not ashamed of my belly or my baby; I was actually thrilled the day I woke up and was able to actually cup my hand over the tiny bulge.

**June 18****th****, 2007**

"Do you think it's a boy or girl?" Rosalie asked as we waited in the lobby.

I shrugged and smiled. "I haven't really thought about it, but I don't care either way."

"Well I think it's a boy," Emmett cut in. "It has to be, I've already got so much stuff picked out."

"_Really_?" I asked incredulously.

"I mean… I have all these plans for football and baseball, not to mention dirt bikes," his smile was infectious.

"Will they be able to tell what the sex is?" Jasper asked Carlisle, but I interrupted before he could answer.

"I don't want to know."

"_What_?" Two high pitch squeals and three surprised voices asked me, Esme and Carlisle already knew my decision.

"I want it to be a surprise," I stated simply.

"But – what about the baby shower? How are we going to know what to get? What if we get pink and it's a boy? How are you going to decorate the nursery?"

"Alice, there are neutral colors," Esme said. "And besides…the baby will need other things besides clothes," she teased and we laughed at Alice's expression.

"Alright, we're ready for you, Bella," a nurse smiled and led us to a room in the back. It was dark and had no windows; just a huge machine and a bed in the middle of the room, with a little counter and sink along one wall.

"I see you brought the cavalry," Heather teased.

"Yeah – you try to tell them they not to come," I smiled and hopped on the bed. She lifted my shirt and tucked a towel in the waist of my leggings.

"Have you felt any movement yet?" She asked and squirted some gel on my belly.

"I'm not sure I mean, I think I have – it's like little flutters, but when I go to touch my stomach, nothing happens."

She laughed quietly. "Baby's around 18wks, tend to make liars out of most moms. They never move when you want them too. It'll change though, Bella," she reached over and grabbed the top to the ultrasound wand. "You'll start really feeling movement in the next week or two – Alright, let's see your baby."

The room was completely silent besides the slight buzzing of the machine. I glanced around the room, completely anxious to see my baby. Edward, Emmett and Rosalie were all standing next to me along the bed, Jasper had a tight grip on Alice and stood by the wall, Esme was tucked under Carlisle's arm, all eyes glued to the machine.

As she touched the wand to my stomach, there was a black blob that popped on the display, she moved the wand around and then there were several deep intakes of breathe, as the image of a very small baby appeared on the screen. Heather reached over and pushed a button on the machine and next thing I knew, a very fast and strong heart beat filled the silent room. The image on the screen jerked and disappeared briefly as my body was racked with happy sobs.

"Oh my god," my voice cracked and tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt a tight squeeze on my left hand and looked over to see Edward holding on tightly, staring at the screen. The tiny bit of warmth that his fingers caused in my hand, traveled up my arm, and soon spread through my entire body, causing my heart to speed up. I flexed my fingers around his warm touch and turned my attention back to the baby. It was one of the most precious moments in my life. The few weeks that I had known I was pregnant hadn't prepared me for the amount of love that would radiate through my body, after seeing my baby on the monitor.

"Carlisle," I heard Esme's voice break. "That's our grandchild."

"That's my nephew."

"Or niece," Rosalie argued, while wiping a tear that managed to escape.

Heather explained everything that she was looking for and also pointed it out on the monitor. I could see every little detail on the baby. Arms and legs, fingers and toes, but my favorite was seeing the face. I could make out a tiny nose and mouth, a profile shot revealed tiny ears. Everything was so _tiny_, but so beautiful. She printed several pictures out for us and told me everything seemed fine, which was a relief.

The drive home I couldn't take my hands of my belly. I cradled my stomach like it was the most precious thing to me – and it was. I promised myself that no matter what would happen to me I would make sure to keep my baby safe. James could never find out about the baby, the thought of him ever coming back sent chills up my spine and I wrapped my arms tighter around my belly. That night I had one of the worst nightmares.

_I finished my dinner and decided it was time to get ready for bed; I slowly dragged my feet up the stairs to my room. I quickly showered and changed, then climbed into bed. As my head hit the pillow, suddenly a hand gripped my neck and pulled my trembling body against a hard chest. I tried to scream but nothing came out. I felt his hand roam over my enormous belly and he began to breathe hard in my ear. _

"_That's my son isn't it," his voice was low and daunting. I tried to struggle against him to break free but it was no use, he was too strong. "This is my son and I want him!" Next thing I knew James was reaching up and taking the baby right out of me, leaving me on the bed screaming and bleeding to death. _

"_My beautiful son," his voice whispered to the baby, completely ignoring my cries. _

"_Don't take him!" I shouted upon deaf ears._

"_Are you ready to leave, son" He cooed to a silent baby. _

_My hands reached out to grab him but I couldn't move. "Please, don't take him…." I cried and screamed. "Give me my baby!" _

"_Say goodbye to mommy, son." I watched helplessly as James turned and walked through my door, carrying my only reason to live. _

"_Please, give me back my baby! Give me back my son!"_

The dreams ended the same, it used to be that James would try and kill me but after my ultrasound, they always end with him stealing the baby. Then I'd wake up screaming and crying, completely terrified of it coming true. By the time July rolled around they had started to get so bad I was beginning to be scared of my bedroom. It felt creepy and cold; I kept waiting for James to jump out from behind something.

Emmett woke up to me screaming a few times and each time he'd beg me to tell him what was wrong, but I couldn't do it. I cried in his arms and asked him to just hold me until I fell back to sleep. I could tell it was taking a toll on him as well and I felt horrible but I couldn't tell him about James, and I figured eventually the nightmares would have to stop. Edward never tried to get me talk about them, but he did let me know that he was there if I wanted to talk. My brother, well he wasn't so patient and the nights that he tried to comfort me, would always end in both of our frustration because he wanted to know what was going on so he could _fix_ it, and I wouldn't tell him anything.

So, we all silently agreed that Edward would be the one on 'nightmare duty'. Edward was there every time I would wake up and his strong arms would wrap around me and he'd whisper over and over again that it was just a dream. It would take awhile for me to get back to sleep but he never left, he held me tight and stayed with me until I woke again in the morning.

It only ever happened at my house, I had stayed the night over at Esme's a couple times and not once did I have a nightmare, which made me think they had a lot to do with my room. They were getting more graphic the farther along I got, I couldn't walk in that room without feeling on edge and worrying about James hiding somewhere.

I knew I couldn't last long in that house. As much as I would miss living in the home that we had shared with our parents, I needed to get out of there. I started dropping hints to Emmett about what life would be like living in Seattle. I would talk about how many houses were around the campus that would be perfect for us, being close to Rosalie, I even went to bringing him information about Seattle having one of the best children's department in the hospital.

I knew that moving would hurt Esme and Carlisle, not to mention Alice. They were so excited to meet the baby but I knew that this decision was what was safest for the baby and me. I would be in a new city and a new house, somewhere James wouldn't know where to find me.

"Seriously, Em. Think about it," I pushed. "Not only are there great hospitals but they have a Young Parent Program that I could attend. I can bring the baby with me, they have a daycare in the next room, I could still get my diploma."

"Are you sure you want to move, Bella – I mean, we've lived here our whole lives."

I leaned my head against his shoulder and sighed. "I know and I'll miss it, but this works out best for us. You can't keep driving back and forth to go to school," I quickly placed my hand over his mouth when he went to argue. "And I can't live by myself right now. We can easily afford a house next to campus and the program for me is right around the corner, that way we both can go to school and come home every day." I lifted my head to look at him. "Think about it, Em… please… I really feel that this is the best decision."

I saw him ponder over everything I said and then heard him sigh. "If you are really ok with leaving mom and dad's house… then we can move."

And that was that, by the first weekend in August Esme had found us the perfect house close enough to both schools but out of the way of partying noise. By the end of the month we were in our new home unpacking boxes and setting things up. Well I wasn't doing much of anything, really.

I was seven months and my stomach wasn't that big, but it definitely wasn't small – everyone refused to let me carry anything. So I had to stand back and basically point to where I wanted things. After a few hours of feeling like I was useless, I went to the room Esme and Alice designed as the nursery, and started putting things away.

Hanging up clothes and putting onesies and jumpers in the dresser took up quite a bit of time; I think I had enough diapers and wipes to last me until the baby was 6 months old and pushed most of them in the closet. The girls threw me a baby shower the week before the move, I had gotten so much stuff it was unbelievable, I had never seen so many presents for one person. Because we didn't know what the sex of the baby was, I ended up with a lot of whites and yellows. Alice insisted that all I needed to do was piece them with blue or pink socks, with a matching hat, they would work for either sex.

Esme and Carlisle had gotten the baby one of the nicest nursery sets I had ever seen. It was from the Bratt Décor Chelsea Collection, complete with, crib, dresser/changer, commode, and bookshelf. Alice and Jasper got the matching glider and ottoman. Rosalie helped arrange the room and it couldn't have turned out more perfect. All that was missing was the baby.

I finished in the nursery and went to check on the how everyone else was doing, of course no one needed my help and I decided to work on the boxes in my room. I put my clothes away and started putting my books on the shelf. I had finished one box and moved on to the second, when I saw and 8x10 white envelope with '_Elegant Photography_' written on the outside. I knew exactly what that was and my hands started to shake as I picked it up and opened it.

A glossy photo of the most gorgeous man dressed in a tuxedo with piercing blue eyes staring lovingly at the brown haired girl posing next to him, rested in my lap. I hated that picture but I loved it as well. I hated it because it reminded me of that night, it reminded me of everything I had ever given him and how easy it was for him to throw it away. That night was one of the happiest nights of my life and now it was tainted. Tainted because everything he had ever told me was a lie.

My fingers shakily ran over the lines on his face and I could feel my chest begin to tighten. I loved him so much, he was supposed to love me forever, he promised to never hurt me, and instead, he turned out to be a violent, controlling obsessive monster, and scared the hell out of me. I hated him. But most of all I hated that I still loved him. I knew logically I would probably always love some part of him, even though he was so horrible and threatening. He was my first love, he wasn't always bad and we did have good times together. When he shattered my world, I wasn't just losing my lover; I lost my friend as well.

I picked myself up off the floor and headed downstairs and outside, with the picture in hand. I walked over the barbeque and lifted the top off. Setting the picture on the grill I doused it with lighter fluid and then threw a match, watching the flames slowly burn away his image. My chest tightened briefly as I realized that was the only photo I had of him but I didn't want it anymore, I wanted to forget what he looked like, and everything that he had ever done to me.

After the picture was ash and I closed the lid, I walked back up the stairs slowly, feeling numb, my mind reminiscing, I never noticed all sets of eyes had been watching my every move. I sat stoically on my bed, guitar in my hand and started to strum away my heartache.

_I remember the way you made love to me  
Like I was all you'd ever need  
Did you change your mind  
Well I didn't change mine  
Now here I am trying to make sense of it all  
We were best friends now we don't even talk  
You broke my heart  
Ripped my world apart_

Didn't you know how much I loved you  
Didn't you know how much I loved you, baby  
I gave you everything, every part of me  
Didn't you feel it when I touched you  
Didn't I rock you when I loved you, baby  
Baby, tell me  
Didn't you know how much I loved you

My chest tightened as I thought back on the times I had spent with James. He was sweet and affectionate once; he made me feel like we were going to be together forever. I missed his smile and the times we'd lay together after we made love, I saw it on his face that he loved me, I just couldn't figure out when it changed for him.

_  
I can't get you out of my head  
I still feel you in this bed  
Left me all alone  
You couldn't be more gone  
From falling apart to fighting mad  
From wanting you back to not giving a damn  
I've felt it all  
I've been to the wall_

Didn't you know how much I loved you  
Didn't you know how much I loved you, baby

It infuriated me to think of all the time I lost pining after someone who didn't even exist. I fell in love with a person who didn't exist. I fell in love with James, the sweet southern boy who treated me like I was his whole world and would do anything to make me happy. But that wasn't who he was at all. He was Marcus, the abusive, controlling, violent man, who shattered my heart into a million pieces. I pushed the words from my body with everything I had in me, not caring who in the house could hear_._

Didn't you know how much I loved you  
Didn't you know how much I loved you, baby  
I gave you everything, every part of me  
Didn't you feel it when I touched you  
Didn't I rock you when I loved you, baby  
Baby, tell me

I could feel the tears pouring down my face but I wasn't able to stop them, my heart was broken and it felt good to get it out. I only hoped that after today I would stop loving him like I did, although he did so many violent things to me, I couldn't just shut off my emotions, even if I wanted to. I felt like with each tear that built up and spilled over, little by little my love for James was disappearing.

_Didn't you know how much I loved you  
Didn't you know how much I loved you, baby  
I gave you everything, every part of me  
Didn't you feel it when I touched you  
Didn't I rock you when I loved you, baby  
Baby, tell me _

As my fingers lightly stroked the strings for the final time, I felt the bed shift next to me and realized Emmett had sat down. He gently lifted the guitar out of my hands and handed me a tissue. I hated that this was affecting everyone in the family especially my brother.

"Do you want a hug, Belly Bear?" He asked softly. My emotions were on overdrive and I started to cry harder and nodded my head. He quickly wrapped me in his arms and tucked my head under his chin. "I'm sorry you're hurting, sis." His voice broke my heart all over again and I squeezed him tightly. "Want me to beat him up? Cause I will," he lightly teased causing me to laugh and shake my head.

"No," I exhaled a shaky breathe. "He's not worth it."

"Are you going to be ok?"

I hugged him once more and pulled back slowly so I could look in his eyes. He brushed away the last of my tears and a small smile formed on my lips.

"Yea," I whispered and nodded my head lightly. "I'm going to be ok."

**August 31****st****, 2007**

"Bella," I heard Edward's voice and I looked up from the paperwork I was filling out. School was going to start in a week and I needed to bring all the forms with me. Rosalie and I had gone to check out the school last Tuesday and they gave me a lot of papers to fill out to complete my enrollment. The building was extremely nice, there was a classroom setting with tables and chairs in one room. A connecting door led to a room with twelve cribs inside, with another door connecting off of that room into the nursery center.

I was impressed with the entire program; they offered GED schooling, high school curriculum, nutrition classes, parenting classes, everything that would make a teenage mom's life easier. Plus I was looking forward to meeting a few girls who were in the same position as me – a teen mom. I had a lot of support from my family and I wasn't lacking with people to talk to, it was just going to be nice to talk with girls my age who were pregnant or moms already.

"Hey," I smiled up at him and put my pen down.

"Do you have a minute?" He asked nervously from the doorway. I nodded and he came to sit next to me on the bed, I noticed his hands were holding something behind his back.

"What do you have, there?" I teased and noticed his face flushed a light pink and I gave a tiny giggle. "Is Edward Cullen, blushing?"

"Shut it," he laughed and set the present bag in my lap. "I found this the other day and I thought you'd like it," he said sheepishly.

"Aw, Edward – you didn't have to get me anything," I said softly and started to reach inside the bag, anxious to find out what he got. When I pulled it out I gasped. "Edward…"

"Do you like it?" he asked worriedly. "If you don't I can take it back… you think it's stupid… it is stupid…" he was flustered and started rambling so I quickly placed my hand over his mouth and shook my head.

"I love it," my voice cracked a little. Not only was the gift thoughtful, but the fact he was so nervous to give it to me, made my heart melt even more.

"Really?" his voice was hopefully.

"Really," I admitted with tears in my eyes. "I can't believe they make stuff like this." I pulled the box completely out of the bag and started to inspect it more thoroughly. Edward helped me open it and pulled out the paper to read what it all included.

"This FirstSounds Deluxe Prenatal Gift Set gives you everything you need talk and play music to your unborn baby. Hear your unborn baby's heartbeat, kicks and hiccups. You can even e-mail these sounds to your family and friends. It includes a Prenatal Heart Listener, 2 Headsets, Fetal Microphone, Fetal Speakers, Maternity Belt, Recording Cable and 2 CDs." As he read everything off the list I pulled them out of the package to get a better look.

"Do you have batteries?"I asked, my voice spiking up with excitement. He smiled and reached for the bottom of the bag. I smiled and ripped the batteries from his hand. "This is the coolest thing ever!"

Edward helped me put the handheld machine together and then handed me one set of ear phones. I waited for him to grab his but he sat and stared at the gift bag instead.

"Edward?" I asked curiously. "Don't you want to listen too?"

"I wasn't sure if you wanted me too, I mean I didn't want to assume," his voice trailed off and he looked sad. I didn't understand why he would feel like I wouldn't want him to listen. He obviously knew when he picked it out that more than one person could listen.

"You better put these on right now," I tried to look mad but my lips started to twitch as I watched the most breathtaking smile break across his face. He greedily snatched up the head phones and put them on. I lifted my shirt to expose my tummy and before I could place the device on my stomach, his hand shot out and covered my belly. It wasn't the first time he had touched the baby, but it was the first time I had ever seen that look on his face.

He looked as if he was touching the most precious thing in the world. His eyes were somewhat glazed, his cheeks slightly flushed, face was so full warmth and love, my heart skipped a beat. His hand was soft and gentle as it explored my protruding skin, I felt my body start to tingle and my breath hitched as I saw his head coming closer to my stomach. I felt my face heat and body break out in a sweat the moment his lips brushed lightly over my stomach. Tears sprang to my eyes and I bit my lip in order to keep from crying out as everything made sense.

I loved him.

I was in love with him.

And the way his eyes gazed back at me, hand still on my belly, there wasn't a doubt in my mind, he loved me too.

Every touch, every caress, each night he had ever held me, suddenly took on a new meaning. I started to replay every conversation we ever had, over in my mind, New Years Eve… prom… that sad look on his face when he asked about the father… it all made sense. James had been right, Edward did not think of me as a sister, and if I hadn't been so wrapped around James' finger, maybe I would have noticed a long time ago.

My eyes darted back and forth between his as we continued to stare at each other, until a tiny nudge against his hand broke our spell. We both looked down to see my belly jolt as the baby kicked again at his hand causing us both to laugh. We shyly looked at each other and then smiled.

"Come on, love," his voice was soft. "Let's see if we can hear the heartbeat." I smiled back and placed the headphones over my ears.

**September 22****nd****, 2007**

"What happened?" Emmett's concerned voice bellowed through the quiet hospital room.

"I'm fine, Em – and the baby's fine," I tried to reassure him. "I just twisted myself wrong and I felt a pinching sensation but the doctor told me everything was ok."

I could see relief flood his features and he sighed. "Did you fall?"

I quickly looked down at the ground, I knew if I told him the truth then he was only going to feel guilty and keep me from doing anything ever again. When I still wouldn't look at him he walked closer to the bed.

"Bella," he said in his -_I'm not fucking around_- voice.

I sighed heavily and finally looked up. "You're just going to overreact."

"Overreact…" he took a deep breath. "Bella, they are keeping you hear overnight, the nurse said you were having contractions, contractions mean labor, Bella, and you are too earlier to be doing that." I hated seeing my brother looking so miserable.

"I know, but they said the baby was fine, they do this as a precaution."I motioned to all the monitors I was hooked up too.

"It doesn't matter, why they do it… I'm glad they're doing it." He sat in the chair next to the bed. "What happened? I mean if you didn't fall what were you doing?"

"Where's Rosalie and Edward?" I looked towards the door.

"Rosalie's on the phone with Esme and Edwards talking to your doctor… now quit stalling," he smirked at me.

"Fine," I huffed in annoyance. "I was taking my clothes out of the washer and when I reached the bottom, I guess I bent over too far and there was a tiny pinch on my side."

"Bella," he mumbled. "Rosalie said she would help you with…. Wait a minute," his eyes snapped to mine. "How the hell did you get your laundry basket downstairs?" his voice was angry and I swallowed slowly.

"I carried it," I whispered.

"Jesus, Bella!" Emmett jumped to his feet. "Are you that freakin' stubborn, you'd actually put your baby at risk like that?" I knew he loved me and I knew he was mad but his words stung like never before and tears instantly rolled down my cheeks. "Dammit, Bella! I told you wait until I got home, I told you Rosalie was going to help."

"I know," I sobbed. "I would never do anything to jeopardized the baby but," he cut me off.

"But what – and don't give me 'I feel useless crap' either," I had never seen Emmett this pissed, especially towards me.

"I just thought I could carry it… I didn't think that I could hurt the baby," I sniffed and wiped my eyes.

"Well you almost did," he snapped at me and I sobbed louder. "Does you independence mean that much to you?"

"Emmett, that's enough!" Rosalie shouted as she walked over and sat on the bed. She pulled me in her arms and I cried in her shoulder, while I heard Edward tell me brother to take a walk with him.

"I'm sorry," I cried.

"Shh, it's ok," she stroked my hair. "You know he didn't mean those things, don't you."

I nodded and tried to control my shaky breaths. "Yea, but it doesn't make them less true. I could have hurt the baby."

"Anything could have caused this, Bella… Do I think it was stupid that you carried that down the stairs – yea," she pulled back and handed me a tissue. "But this could have happened if you were getting dressed, things like this happen. Let's just be glad the baby is ok."

"I am," my hand started to rub my belly. "I can't believe he was so mad. Emmett never talks to me like that."

"Bella, he loves this baby," she smiled down at me and then a slight frown appeared on her face. "You're not going to like it but he's going to be more strict now, you realize that don't you?"

I sighed heavily. "I know, that's why I didn't want to tell him."

"If you ever thought he was overprotective of you, Bella," she laughed softly. "This baby doesn't stand a chance at leaving the house without him."

I laughed and shook my head. "Poor thing."

I stopped crying and we reclined back against the bed and turned on the TV. "Esme and Carlisle are on their way," she said.

"Really?" I groaned. "The baby's fine, I hate that they are going to drive this far, because of my stupidity."

"Well," she trailed off and smirked.

My brother and I made up before Esme got there, and she made me feel even worse by the worried look on her face. She and Rose were by my bed, while Edward and Carlisle were standing next to the doctor looking over my chart. Alice, Jasper and Emmett were in the cafeteria getting food when my doctor had come in.

"I don't think she needs bed rest, but I definitely want her to take it more easy with housework," I heard Janet tell Carlisle.

"Great," I muttered and put my head against the pillow.

"Bella, honey," Esme's soft hand took mine in her own. "We love you and want you and the baby safe. You need to stop thinking that us helping you is a burden on us – because it's not."

"I know and I love you all for it," I smiled kindly at her. "I just know that when Emmett hears that, he's going to wrap me bubble tape and keep my in my room.

She laughed and patted my hand. "I wouldn't put it past him. But something tells me he won't be so bad," she said with a smirk and I raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think that? This is Emmett we're talking about."

"Well I'm sure if he knew someone was there all the time with you, he won't worry so much."

"Yea, but who's going to stay with me all day, every one has school and you guys live so far away and," I stopped mid sentence when she started to smile. "No! Seriously?! You guys are moving here?" I screamed in excitement.

"Yea," she hugged me tightly. "We've been talking about it for awhile now. Everyone is here for college, Alice is lonely, I'm lonely," she pulled back to look at me. "And I want to be as close to my grandbaby as I can." I smiled and through my arms around her as the tears started to fall. "We should be completely moved by the end of October."

Tears of joy ran down my cheeks and I hugged her again. I was elated that they were going to move up to Seattle. I had felt terrible when we moved away, even though it was what needed to be done, but now they were going to be with us and I couldn't have been happier.

**October 14****th****, 2007**

"God, that feels so good, Alice," I sighed as she continued to work her magic.

"Who knew all you needed was to get knocked up in order to enjoy a pedicure," she snorted.

"Brat," I spat out and started laughing with her.

"So, Bella," Rosalie asked as she helped Esme set up the room for the photo shoot. Esme was going to take belly shots for me, I was hesitant at first because I felt like freakin' house but everyone assured me I would want them later on in life.

"Have you picked out any names?"

"Umm – kind of," I shrugged.

"What's that mean?" Alice asked as she was lotioning my legs, all three were looking at me.

"Well, you all have to promise to keep this a secret," I pleaded and they all nodded in agreement. "Ok, I was thinking that, whether it's a girl or a boy, I want to name the baby after my dad and Emmett."

"Really?"

"That's so sweet."

"I think your dad would have liked that."

"I was thinking that for a boy his name will be Charles Emmett Swan and if she's a girl I know I want Charlotte as the middle name but I was having a difficult time finding a first name. I had Emilie and Emilia, but I don't really like them."

"Emmylou," Alice joked and we all started laughing.

"Emerald," Rosalie suggested and I politely shook my head.

"What about Emma?" Esme softly suggested. All sets of eyes looked at her and then at me and I smiled.

"Emma," the name rolled smoothly off my tongue. "I love it!"

"I do too, good job mom."

"Emma Charlotte Swan – I hope it's a girl," Rosalie smiled, softening her face.

Alice finished polishing my toes and it was time to start the photo shoot. I was a little nervous about some of the poses Esme wanted me in because they were going to show a lot of skin, but I knew with Esme, they would be beautiful. The first few poses were with me standing next to the window, a white sash wrapped around my breast, and my hand touching my belly. She adjusted my stance a few times and took some shots, then had me sit on the floor.

I sat crossed legged with the sash crisscrossed over my breast and then wrapped around my waist covering up my underwear. Both my hands were folded and tucked underneath my belly, giving off the affect of me cradling my stomach. As she snapped the picture she instructed me to lean my head back or forward or smile or laugh, it was a lot of fun.

Rosalie then removed the sash and Esme placed my right arm over my chest so it was covering both of my boobs but my white boy shorts were now visible. My left hand supported my body weight, causing my body to lean off to the side and instead of sitting cross legged I folded my legs slightly underneath me, those shots were my favorite. They turned out really pretty and I was glad Esme suggested belly shots.

Esme had me stand up and Rosalie covered my boobs with the sash again, only this time instead of wrapping it around, it hung down my sides. One hand cradled my lower belly while the other rested on top. As Esme snapped the last of those shots we heard someone open the door and saw all three guys walk in. When each one took in the scene in the living room, it was almost comical how traumatized they had looked. Jasper made a quick apology and covered his eyes, Emmett put his head in his hands and groaned and Edward, wide eyed and quiet, stood completely still never taking his eyes from mine.

"Oh, geez, Emmett, it's only her belly showing," Rosalie sighed.

"Yea, her naked belly," he moaned. "What the hell are you guys doing?"

We started to laugh and I went to cover myself up more.

"No, Bella don't move," Rosalie said and I looked over confused.

"I have an idea," she turned to Esme. "What if she stands like that by the window and have one of the guys put his hand on her belly? We can do some close up shots of just their arms and hands."

I felt my face heating up and before I could protest, Edward swiftly walked over and stood behind me, his left hand gently palming my belly.

"Like this?" He asked softly and my body tingled.

"Perfect," Rosalie and Esme shouted.

I could hear Esme snapping away and I broke out in goose bumps as Edward gently rested his head on my shoulder, his eyes looking at my belly.

"Hey, don't get fresh," Emmett whined from the doorway.

Edward and I laughed and he lifted his head off my shoulder, my own head tilted back to follow him with my eyes. We stood that way just staring at each other and smiling while I faintly heard the clicking of a camera in the background.

"Bella put your hand over his but keep looking up at him," Rosalie ordered.

"Geez, Rose… what if they don't want to?" Emmett groaned.

"It's fine," we said in unison and started laughing again. Esme took a few more pictures and then told me she was done. I did not want that moment to end, and the feel of Edwards fingers hesitantly leaving my body, let me know he felt the same way. Something had definitely shifted between Edward and I over the time of my pregnancy, the only question now, was what we planned to do about it.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, so how did it turn out? Too fast or not fast enought? You gotta let me know.**

**I really hope my fellow E/B fans, enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing it. **

**Well can you guess what's happening next chapter? It's gonna be good!!**


	18. Chapter 18

******Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Thanks so much to my fellow readers. **

**I hope you are enjoying the story as much as I am. **

*****I wanted to let you all know that this story is also going up on Twilighted.*** **

**A few people have written telling me that FFnet has been taking **

**fics down and I wanted to let you know that if that happens to mine **

**you can find it there, but you'll have to wait for Twilighted to catch up with the chapters. **

**Enjoy!!!**

* * *

**BPOV**

**November 1****st****, 2007**

I felt huge.

I couldn't even see my feet anymore, and as the nurse had me step on the scale and I saw the numbers, I suddenly had the urge to point and scream 'LIAR!' I had gained a total of 26 pounds already and I still had almost three weeks left til my due date. So once again, I felt huge.

"How are you feeling today, Bella?" Dr. Parks asked as she walked into the room.

"Tired," I shrugged. "And huge – and lazy – and my feet hurt. I've been getting really hot lately too, and my lower back has been killing me. It's hard for me to stay asleep because I get up at least six times to go pee and then I feel like eating and by the time I get back to sleep I wake up to pee again," I stopped quickly when I realized I had been rambling. "Sorry," I looked up at her sheepishly.

She chuckled and shook her head. "It's alright. This is all normal, Bella. You're a little into your 37th week and your insides are starting to get really squished because the baby is getting so big. It's normal to feel tired and I understand how frustrating it is to have something sitting on your bladder," she smiled. "Let's go ahead and check your cervix shall we."

I 'got into position' as I liked to call it, pregnancy left no time for modesty, I realized that after my first two visits to an OB/GYN.

"Looks like you are a little over 2 centimeters already."

My head snapped up to her. "But, I still have three weeks, does this mean I'll go into labor? Isn't it too soon?"

"It's alright, Bella. Most women are at a little dilated, weeks before their actual labor begins," she stood and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. "Even if you did go into labor right now, you are far enough along to have a safe delivery. All your tests and ultrasounds show no problems and the baby's lungs are developed enough that it'd be able to breathe just fine." I could tell she was being honest but I was still a little worried.

"Are you sure?" I asked skeptically.

"Well, no two deliveries are the same, but yes, you could have a safe delivery in between now and the 18th."

"Ok," I sighed with relief. "I just – I just want everything to be ok."

She came to stand in front of me and helped me sit up. "I know, Bella and this being your first child it's normal to have anxieties. Don't ever hesitate to voice your concerns."

She smiled and gently patted my leg. "Have you been feeling any contractions?"

"Not today, but I've had a few, they were more like cramps."

"I'm pretty sure they were Braxton hicks, which is just a way to prepare your body for actual labor. I want you to make sure you drink plenty of water, dehydration can cause muscle spasms which can bring on contractions." Just then her pager went off and she looked at it then at me apologetically. "That's the hospital, I'm going to have to go, sweetie, sorry. But listen, if you feel like you're having Braxton hicks, try lying on your left side that tends to help ease the pain. Are you getting enough water?"

"Yes," I nodded my head. "I drink a lot of water."

"That's good; it's the best thing for your body right now, and the baby. If you have any more concerns, honey, don't be afraid to call my office or the hospital, ok?"

"Ok, thank you."

"You're welcome, I'll see you next week, have a good weekend."

"You too, Dr. Parks." I got dressed quickly and joined Esme in the lobby. We stopped by a bakery and had lunch before we went back to my house and I ended up napping on the couch.

My eyes started to slowly open when I heard voices coming from the next room. I stretched slowly and tried to sit up, I couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"_She can't travel with her being so far along, Emmett" – Carlisle _

"_Ok, well then someone needs to stay here with her, it should only be two days. Everything is packed we just need to load the U-Hauls and drive back." – _Esme

"_I'll do it, you guys don't need my help, I'll stay with her." _That was definitely Alice and I had to smile, I loved her enthusiasm. I put my arm behind me and pushed against the back of the couch so I could stand up.

"_No offense, baby, but if she were to fall or something how are you going to be able to pick her up?"_

"_I agree with Jasper one of the guys needs to stay," _Rosalie said and I slowly waddled through the living room to join in the conversation_. _

"Well I'm her brother, I'll stay."

"No way, Emmett, you're the muscle," I said and caused everyone to notice I was there. "I'm assuming you're trying to figure out who's babysitting while you get your stuff, right?" I smiled at Carlisle so he would know I was teasing.

"It's not safe for you to travel this far along, Bella," he came to stand next to me. "But we can't have you here by yourself either." His arm rested on my shoulders for a semi-hug and I leaned into it.

"I just feel awful because I moved up here to help you out," Esme looked at me with a sad expression. "But I really need to be there to make sure everything is in order."

"I know," I smiled back at her.

"Edward can stay with her," Carlisle said and everyone started to nod their heads. "We have enough guys to help out, and Edward _is _getting his medical degree so, god forbid if something were to happen, she'd be in good hands."

I looked over at Edward, my insides dancing. "Is that ok with you?"

"Yep," he walked over and rifled my hair before putting his arm around me. "I do believe I see a weekend of scrabble ahead of us." Everyone chuckled. I walked over to the fridge and opened it to grab a water bottle, as I was bending down a heavy pain shot through my lower back and I winced.

"You ok?" Carlisle asked and came to stand next to me.

I gave a quick shake of my head. "Yea – it's just, my lower back has been killing me lately." I tried not wince as I stood back up.

"Do you want me to get some Tylenol? It won't pose a danger to the baby," he informed and I said yes.

Esme helped guide me back to the living room while Carlisle went to get some Tylenol. I sat down on the couch and Esme started to lightly massage my back.

"Thank you," I smiled appreciatively at her.

She smiled back and kept rubbing.

"I brought you a heat pack," Edward offered and wrapped a wash rag around it to kill some of the heat.

"Thank you," I said and Esme took it and continued to massage the heat into my back.

"Here you go sweetie," Carlisle said and handed me the Tylenol. I smiled and quickly swallowed down the tablets.

Everyone walked in and sat down so they could finish planning things for the move. "We can all fit in the truck, so I think we should only take one vehicle down there," Carlisle stated. "That way everyone can be coupled up for on the drive back, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Alice in both U-Hauls, and Esme and I will drive the truck back. Sound good?"Everyone agreed.

"What time are you guys leaving tomorrow?" I half moaned as her fingers started to massage away the pain.

"I think we should leave early," Esme said. "That would give us all day to load up and clean the house. Claire already offered for us to stay over at the Hales Friday night, and then we could head back Saturday morning."

"So that means we're leaving at like five, huh?" Emmett groaned and everyone laughed. "Well," he sighed, "we better order pizza so we can eat and then go to bed."

"That's a good idea," I yawned. "I'm pretty tired."

"Is this helping, Bella?" Esme asked softly.

"Yes," I said quickly. "Please don't stop," I pouted and she giggled quietly.

The pizza showed up a little while later and we sat in the living room stuffing our faces and joking around. I had just finished my first slice and went to take a bite of my second when Esme said something that stopped my heart and I had to fight to keep my dinner down.

"So, where's James? I haven't seen him for awhile."

I felt my heart beating faster and my stomach was doing somersaults, my chest started to tighten and I ended up dropping my pizza which caused my water to knock over.

"You ok," Esme asked as she started to help me clean up the mess.

"Yea, yea, I'm fine, I'm fine," I said quickly and avoided her gaze. I hadn't even thought about anyone asking about him. It hadn't happened yet and I was starting to panic, I was worrying that maybe somehow people found out. I didn't want to leave the room, I needed to know if anything was being said, so I tried my best to control my breathing and hide the fact that my hands were shaking, so I could listen.

"I ran into his boss back in June and he said someone in his family died and he had to go back to South Carolina to help out," Jasper said and took a bite of his pizza.

"That's too bad," Esme said. "He was such a sweet boy. Do you know if he plans on coming back?" my insides were twisting with guilt, I felt the blood drain from my face and quickly became dizzy, like I was going to faint. I started to sway as I tried to stand and Rosalie swiftly grabbed my arms to keep me from falling over.

"Bella!" She sounded scared. "Are you ok?" I saw several people jump to their feet.

"Bella, what's the matter?" Carlisle knelt down and asked.

It had scared when James was brought up and my voice was shaky. "I got dizzy," I whispered pathetically.

"I think you need to lie down, sweetie," his hands brushed against my forehead. "Your body needs its rest, pregnancy takes a lot out of a woman." he stopped me when I tried to stand again. "You don't need to be walking right now– Emmett," he looked over his shoulder to my brother. "Will you carry her up to bed?"

He nodded and bent down to swoop me in his strong arms. I didn't really want to be alone but I knew it was pointless to argue with them. "Come on, Belly Bear." He carefully carried me up the stairs and gently sat me down on the bed after Alice pulled back the covers.

"Thank you, Em." I said quietly.

"You're welcome, get some sleep – from the looks of things my nephew's going to be a handful," he grinned.

"Or niece," I laughed as he walked out the door.

"Do you need anything, Bella?" Alice asked.

"yea, actually," I bit my lip, I was pretty sure I would sound like a toddler but after thinking about James I wasn't ready to be by myself. "Do you think you could lay in here with me for a little bit?" Her face lit up and she kicked off her shoes.

"Yay!" She climbed in next to me so we were facing each other. "Are you scared?"

My heart sped up and I was about to panic, thinking she knew about James, but then I felt her touch my belly and relaxed.

"I was, well I mean I guess I am a little scared, only because I've heard the horror stories, you know," I looked at her and shrugged. "But I'm more anxious than anything. I can't wait to find out what it is," I beamed.

"I know me either," she squealed.

"What is this, a slumber party without me?" Rosalie teased and walked over to the bed.

"Climb on in," I laughed and patted the other side of me. I rolled so I was lying on my back and asked if they could help me sit up, Rosalie gently grabbed my arms and Alice placed some pillows behind my back. After I was comfortable I smiled and said thanks.

"Is the baby moving?"

"No, I think she's sleeping," I said and rubbed my stomach.

"She huh?" Alice teased.

"Yeah, I hate saying 'it' all the time so I change it up every day," I shrugged. "Hey, do you guys want to hear the heartbeat?"

"Yes!" they both exclaimed.

"Hand me that bag on the side table," I motioned with my hands to Alice. "Yeah, grab the speakers and the purple thingy."

She pulled it out and I quickly plugged the speaker in and placed the device on my stomach. Within seconds a fast little heartbeat flowed through the speakers.

"Wow," Alice gleamed. "That is so cool. Where'd you get this?"

"Edward bought it – freakin' best present ever," I laughed. "I listen to the baby every night before I go to sleep."

The girls stayed with me for awhile and we talked about school but mostly about the baby, I couldn't wait to be a mom. We were all excited and I loved the fact they were just as much in love with the baby as I was.

I vaguely remember everyone coming in and telling me goodbye in the morning, I was too tired to fully acknowledge them. By the time I had woken up all the way it was almost eleven, they would definitely be loading the trucks by now, but I wanted to call anyways.

"_Hey, sleepyhead,"_ I can hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey, Rosie, how are things going down there?"

"_Good, we're almost done, really. The boys from the rez came over to help so it's going really fast."_

"That's good, are you guys still planning on staying the night," I ask as I slowly stand up and head to the bathroom.

"_Yes, mama Hale has got a huge dinner planned for us, including everyone from the rez, and then Jake wanted to have a bonfire down at La Push." _

I groan, "Jealous… I miss them all, tell them I said hi and they better come and visit sometime."

She laughs, _"They miss you too. So are you just waking up?"_

"Yea," I chuckled. "This baby is making me lazy, but it's nice out today so I was going to take a shower and see if Edward wanted to take a walk or something."

"_Take advantage of the sun, because it's not in Forks,"_ she snorts. _"Well I'm going to finish cleaning the bathroom, call us later, ok."_

"K, tell everyone I love them and I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"_K love you too, Bye."_

"Bye."

I carefully climbed inside the shower and started to wash up. Since it was nice out I wanted to wear Capri's and that meant I was going to have to shave, which is not an easy task for someone who is 9 months pregnant. I took the shower head off and slowly sat down on. I lifted my right leg up to the ledge of the tub and stretched as far as I could to lather up my calf. My belly made it a little difficult but I managed to shave up to my knee without any cuts. After my right leg was finished I repeated the steps for my left leg and smiled when I did it with no problems. There was a metal bar attached to the wall in the shower and I used that to help stand myself up. After I rinsed, I shut the shower off and stepped out.

My stomach started rumbling as I was getting dressed so I made quick work of my clothes and headed down the stairs. 16 – 16 long, tiring stairs later and I found myself huffing as I walked into the kitchen.

"Hey," Edward smiled up from the book he was reading at the table.

"Hey," even to myself I sounded winded. "I hate stairs." I pulled a chair out and sat down.

He laughed and walked over to the fridge, pulling at a plate and handing it to me. "I figured you'd be hungry, so when I heard the shower running I made you a sandwich and some fruit."

I smiled and took the plate. "Thank you – and yes I am very hungry." I bit into the best turkey sandwich ever and a tiny moan escaped my lips and he laughed and handed me a water bottle.

"I was thinking, maybe we could go for a walk, since it's nice out," I said and stuffed a piece of watermelon in my mouth.

"Yea, that sounds like fun," he stood and cleared his own plate.

He sat with me and talked about school and stuff until I finished my food and stood to leave. Of course being as big as I was, I needed his help and blushed profusely when he leaned down to kiss my belly. I waddled to the bathroom before we walked outside.

Edward held my hand as we walked down the five steps on the porch, making sure I wouldn't fall. When we reached the bottom he made no attempt at pulling away and we walked hand in hand around the neighborhood.

I only made it around the block before my feet started to hurt and I wanted to sit down. We found a nice grassy area by the park and rested for awhile. It felt wonderful being that close and intimate with him. We had yet to address the pink elephant around us but I still felt extremely comfortable around him. We sat for about an hour and when my back started to hurt we decided to head back. Edward offered to carry me the entire way but I declined. I may have been huge and my feet may have been swollen but I was not about to be seen being carried like I was a lazy pregnant person.

After we got home I changed him some loose short and then Edward and I watched a movie. He arranged the couch so I could rest my feet up and made sure I had enough pillows behind me. I called my brother around eight and checked in. They were all finishing up at the Hales and were getting ready to head down to La Push. Jake got on the phone and talked with me for a few minutes before I could hear everyone screaming in the background that it was time to leave. I laughed and told him I missed him and to have fun.

After I got off the phone Edward asked if I wanted to play scrabble. It was hard for me to sit up and play because my back was hurting so bad, I tried to recline back but then I couldn't reach the board and I started to get frustrated.

"It's not going to work," I pouted and tried to adjust myself.

"What's the matter?" Edward asked and came to sit next to me.

"My lower back is killing me."

"I'll go get a heat pack," he said softly. A short while later, he placed the heat pack against my lower back and adjusted the pillows to keep it in place. "Is that better?" he asked as he sat down.

"Yes, thank you," I smiled.

"We can watch another movie," he offered and I agreed. During the movie my back started to hurt and I decided to just go lay down.

"I think I need to lay down my bed."

"Let me go get you some Tylenol before I help you upstairs," Edward stood and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ok," I groaned as a sharp pain hit my lower back. I eagerly swallowed the tablets and took his hand to stand up.

"I can carry you, Bella," his voice was laced with concern. I shook my head and smiled softly.

"I'm fine – just let me hold onto you while I walk."

It felt like hours before I reached my room and made it to my bed. Edward pulled the covers back for me and kept his hold on my hand as I sat down.

"Do you need anything else?" He asked as he pulled the covers over my belly.

"No, I'm fine – thank you, Edward," I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to stay in that comfortable spot.

"You're welcome," he lightly kissed my forehead. "I'll leave the door open, in case you need me, love."

"Night, Edward," I whispered.

"Goodnight, love," I think I fell asleep before he was even out of the room.

**BPOV**

**November 3****rd****, 2007**

**2:37 am **

'_Whoa what was that?'_ I thought as something woke me from my sleep. I tossed the covers off of me and tried to sit up as my body was hit with another sharp pain; my hands instinctively went to my stomach. Something was wrong, that was not some annoying cramp, that had to definitely be a contraction.

"Edward," I tried to call but it came out weak. I removed my hands from cradling my stomach and used them to push myself into a sitting position. I didn't want to start panicking but I was really scared, those pains hurt, bad. I slowly flung my legs over the edge of the bed when another contraction hit and my hands cradled my stomach again.

"Edward," I tried to yell but my voice didn't want to work right. I was on the verge of tears at that point, not only because it hurt but I wasn't ready to go into labor yet. All my family was out of town and I needed Esme, I wanted her in the delivery room with me. I took a few deep breathes to keep from crying and began to stand up. The moment my feet were on the floor and I took a step forward, I felt a slight pinch inside and then a gush of fluid came pouring out of me and trickled down my legs, pooling on the floor.

"Edward!" I screamed and stood frozen in place. I heard his feet bounding up the stairs and he rushed into the room.

"Bel -," he stopped noticing my scared expression, then he looked down at the floor then back at my face. "Your water just broke," it was a statement.

"Edward," my voice shook as I started to get more scared.

"It's ok, love," he walked over and wrapped his arms around me, careful not to step in the puddle surrounding my feet. "You're going to have a baby." I looked in his eyes as the realization hit me and soon my smile mirrored his.

"I'm going to grab a towel and then I'll carry you to the car." He stepped into the bathroom and came back out with two towels, he handed me one and threw the other on the floor. I tried to clean up my legs as best I could but I could still feel water leaking out of me.

"I'm scared, Edward," I whispered and looked into his eyes. He stepped forward and lifted me in his arms and placed a lingering kiss against my temple.

"It's going to be ok, I won't leave your side," he promised and carried me out to the car, carefully setting me on the seat. He ran around the car and quickly got in.

"I'll call Dr. Parks first and then I'll call my mom," I nodded in agreement then another contraction hit and I balled my hands into a fist as I tried to breathe evenly. "You're doing good, Bella, breathe in through your nose and then out through your mouth, good job," he encouraged.

"Hi, Dr. Parks, Edward Cullen – yes – no – yea, her water just broke – it looked fine, it was clear – yea, she's having contractions – we're on our way right now – ok – great – uh huh, see ya in a few," then he hung up.

"What did she say?" I asked as I breathed through another contraction.

"She's on call tonight, so she's already there, she getting your room ready right now, love," he picked my hand up and placed a kiss on my palm.

"What were you talking about 'it was clear'?"

"The color of the fluid can tell the doctor if it's meconium, the substance in your baby's intestines that is passed as the first bowel movement, which is sometimes passed before the birth staining the amniotic fluid. Basically if your baby pooped inside you. "

"Eww," I scrunched up my face and he laughed.

"Your fluid was clear which indicates that there's no poop flowing around in there."

"Well that's a relief… I think I can call Esme, that way you can drive," he handed me the phone.

After the third ring someone finally picked up.

"Hello," a sleepy voice said.

"Esme," I whimpered softly.

"Bella… Bella, honey what's wrong?" She sounded worried.

"Esme, my water just broke," I tried to wipe the tears that were leaking from my eyes.

"Really!" she squealed. "Are you ok? Is Edward there?"

"He's here… we're on our way to the hospital," my voice shook with my sobs. "Esme – can you come back, please… I'm really scared," I couldn't help but cry out and I hated that I sounded so pathetic but she was the one person I wanted there with me.

"Oh, honey, try not to be scared. I'm waking up Carlisle right now," I could hear her moving around. "It's a little after three so we should be there around six-thirty or so."

"Thank you," I said quietly. "But what if you don't make it in time," I sobbed. "I really need you there."

"Oh, honey, I promise, we'll get there as soon as we can," she tried to comfort me.

"Ok," I sighed and then dropped the phone into my lap as a very painful contraction hit.

"Shh, just breathe through it, Bella… you're doing great," Edward reached over and held my hand, I squeezed as tight as I could until the pain subsided. He picked up the phone and held it to his ear.

"Hey, mom – yea, she just had one – that one was the worst yet – she's doing great, mom," he looked over and smiled at me. "We're almost to Northwest right now – oh – uh huh – well is there anyone there that can drive over and tell them – alright – well I'll see you both when you get here – ok, love you too, bye."

"What happened?" I asked a little shaky.

"Everyone is still down at La Push and no one has cell service, moms' going to see if Claire or Jim will drive down and tell them."

"Does it make me a bad person, that I'm only worried about Esme getting here?" I wiped my nose.

"No, love, it doesn't," he reached over to grab my hand again. "She'll be here and if I know my mom she'll make Dad speed the whole way," I couldn't help but laugh.

We pulled up to the hospital and found a spot right by the doors. Edward ran inside to get a wheel chair and then took me to Labor and Delivery. One of the reasons we picked that hospital after we moved here was because of the awesome department they had. I would get my own birthing suite where I would stay the entire time, in the past you would deliver in one room and then move to another one where sometimes you would have to share. At Northwest I was given my own suite. It was huge. There was my bed in the middle against one wall with the machines around it, and then by the windows there was a futon and a pull out chair, with enough room for all my family to stand comfortably. On the other side of me was the area where they would clean up the baby after its born and a little hospital basinet.

Dr. Parks admitted me and then had me change into a hospital gown and hooked me up to an I.V. She placed two different straps around my stomach, one pink to monitor the baby's heartbeat and one blue to record the strength of my contractions; I hated that stupid screen that showed the intensity. Some contractions I had made me feel like I was on the verge of passing out but they barely made a blimp on the stupid line graph.

"I'm going to go ahead and check your cervix sweetie, do you want me to have him step out?" she motioned towards Edward.

"No," I said quickly and then looked at him. "Would you mind though, turning your head?"

"Whatever you want, love," he smiled and looked out the window.

"Alright, Miss Bella," she smiled while her hands were tearing apart my insides. "You are 100% effaced and – _she wiggled her nubby little fingers around_ – a little over 5 centimeters." Finally her evil torture was finished and she removed her hands from my insides. "I'm pretty sure with how far dilated you are from our last visit, those cramps and lower back pains you were having were actually back labor."

"Really, those pains were nothing compared to these ones," I groaned as another contraction hit.

"Her back has been really killing her lately," Edward turned around and looked at Susan. "We went walking around yesterday and when she got home she was having a hard time getting comfortable because of the pain."

She smiled and nodded her head. "Yea, sounds like back labor." Then she turned to look at me. "There's nothing we could do, but sometimes if you rock on all fours, it helps. Or have someone rub your lower back during your contractions. I know we talked about this already, but if the pain gets too much you can always have an epidural."

"No," I breathed as the contraction finished. "I don't want any drugs, I'll be fine."

"You don't have to be so brave, love."

"I'm not!" I snapped and immediately regretted it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

He shook it off and came around to rub my back. "It's ok, I know you don't want to chance the drugs getting into the baby's system and I think it's a smart choice."

At around six the contractions were registering almost off the charts and I had a hard time not crying out. They were getting stronger and coming a lot closer together. Edward stayed by my side the entire time, rubbing the most magical tennis ball on my lower back, with each contraction. Dr. Parks came in and checked my cervix and told me I was almost at ten. A few nurses were in the room with her and started to get things set up for when it was time to push. I watched as they wheeled a tray off stuff to the end of the bed and reality set in. It was almost time; I turned to Edward with a panicked look in my eyes.

"You're mom's not here." I cried. "I don't want to do this without Esme."

"Shh," he leaned down to hug my shoulders. "She'll get here, it's almost six-thirty, I'll call her and see where they're at." He went to step away and I pulled him back by his shirt.

"I didn't mean to make you think that I don't want you here, ok," I told him with tears in my eyes. "I can't tell you how much I love you being here, I don't know what I would have done without you," he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "it's just – I know my mom would be here with me if she were alive, and when Esme is around, I feel like my mom is here, does that make sense," I asked and he wiped a few tears off my face.

"It makes perfect sense, and I never thought you didn't want me here."

"Good, because I was hoping you were going to stay for the whole thing," I looked down. "I really want you in here."

"I really want to be here, so thank you," he went to step back again but I winced as another contraction started.

"Breathe, Bella…. Good job… it's at its peak… keep breathing… it's almost over… good job, love," he wiped away a few hairs that were clinging to my head. "I'm going to go call mom, I'll be right back."

"Ok, hurry back," I hated that I sounded desperate but I needed him with me.

"Bella," Susan said. "This is Dr. Givens… Trevor is going to look over the baby once it's born."

"Hi, Dr. Given… umm… What about Dr. West… I thought she was going to be the pediatrician," I looked over a little confused.

"She will be," Trevor stated. "I'm on call tonight so I'll take care of your baby until she gets here tomorrow. Are you having a boy?"

"I'm not sure, I wanted it to be a surprise," he smiled and shook his head.

"Good for you," I could tell he was a good man. "I only asked because if it is a boy and you choose to do a circumcision, I'll be the one to do it at the hospital."

A contraction stopped me from saying anything else and I fisted my hands in the blanket and bit my lip to keep from crying out.

"Good breathing, Bella," I felt Susan reach over and squeeze my hand as I continued to breathe.

"You're almost finished, it'll start to lessen up any second… good job." Trevor's voice was soothing and put me at ease right away.

"Man that one hurt," I breathed heavily.

"For this being your first baby, and you being as young as you are, I am incredibly impressed how well you are handling it. Most women are screaming bloody murder at this point, but you barely made a sound."

"Bella, here is one of my favorite patients," Susan said as she wiped a cloth on my face.

I smiled despite my body being in pain. "Thank y_," I was cut off by another contraction. That time a few tears managed to leak from the corner of my eyes, it felt as if my spine was being separated and I had the urge to push.

As if Susan could read my mind. "I think it's almost time to push, Bella, I'm going to check you again."

"You're at a ten, sweetie," I opened my eyes and could see all the nurses getting ready. "It's time to push."

"I don't want to… I have to wait for Esme," I started to cry, then I heard the door open and Esme quickly rushed to my side. "Oh, thank god!" I hugged her to me. "I didn't think you were going to make it."

"I'm here, sweetie." She pulled back and wiped my face. "I called Emmett and they were about an hour away, they're driving the U-Hauls straight over here."

"I hugged her back to me and nodded my head. "I'm just glad you made it in time."

"Me too, sweetie. Carlisle's out in the hall did you want him in here?" I nodded my head as another contraction hit.

"Just breathe, honey… you're doing good…"

"She's so brave…. I'm truly impressed," I could hear someone say but then a tiny cry escaped as the contraction intensified.

"Good job, honey, keep breathing…will someone get my son and husband from the hallway?" There was a lot of activity going on in the background and as the contraction died down I could hear Susan talking to Carlisle.

"…her whole labor has been really fast. I checked her in at 3:15 and she was at a five fully effaced."

"Any complications?"

"None… she's a trooper."

"Did you bring the camera, Esme?" I asked as I laid back on the pillows.

"Yes, honey, Nurse Anita said she'd take pictures for us."

I smiled over at her as she clicked a picture of Esme and me, but the smile didn't last long. I could feel the beginnings of a contraction coming on and Edward and Esme both grabbed my hand.

"Ok, Bella I want you to start pushing on this contraction." And I did, it was like my body was going to whether I wanted to or not. I sucked in the biggest breathe I could and started to push.

"Keep going… good job… ok relax."

I fell back against the pillows and tried to catch my breath.

"Bella, sweetie, do you mind my watching?" Carlisle asked softly.

"No, I kind of figured you already were," I giggled quietly. "I already told you I wanted you to cut the cord."I smiled up at him as Esme continued to pat my face with a cool rag.

"You two can hold on to her feet with one hand and press her legs towards her body while she pushes," Susan suggested.

Both Edward and Esme placed my feet in their hands and pushed with me during my next contraction, that helped so freaking much. About the tenth time I pushed I could feel the baby actually moving past my pelvis.

"Bella, I can see the baby's hair," Carlisle choked out.

"Really?" I asked tiredly as I slumped back against the pillows.

"Don't lay back, Bella, I want you to keep pushing. Take a deep breath and try again."

As I started to sit up, I looked over at Edward. "What's wrong?"

"I… do you mind… I mean… is it ok if I look?" He asked nervously. I smiled slightly and nodded my head before the next contraction hit and I started to push. Edward awkwardly held on to my foot and turned his head so he could take a look.

"Bella," he says excitedly as I pushed. "There's so much hair… you're doing great, love." I didn't relax back onto the bed after the contraction finished, I was getting excited thinking about the baby having hair, and I just wanted to push it out so I could see.

"Ok, Bella… the baby's crowning… I want you to push nice and big for me on this contraction."

I held my breath and pushed as hard as I could, I felt an incredible amount of pressure and sense of burning, then my contraction died down and I opened my eyes. The urge to keep pushing was there but the pressure was somewhat gone.

"The heads out," Carlisle said. I looked up and could see him crying. I felt Esme's shoulder shaking against mine and could tell she was crying too.

"Ok, Bella," Susan said. "I don't want you to tear when the shoulders come out, on this next contraction I know you're going to want to but just take a few deep breathes until I say to push, ok?"

I nodded and squeezed their hands as the contraction started I wanted to push, I wanted to stop the burning, but I only had to wait a few seconds.

"Ok, Bella, push… push big," Susan instructed.

"Come on, Bella, here it comes," Edward cheered excitedly. I took and even deeper breathe and gripped their hands, as I pushed with everything I had until I felt the baby slip out of me. "Oh my god, you did it, love."

Then I heard it. The cry I had waited months to hear.

"Congratulations, Bella."

"Is it a boy or girl?" I cried weakly and tears poured from my eyes.

"Do you want to tell her grandpa," Susan asked Carlisle as he was cutting the cord.

I looked into his face and watched as a tear rolled down both his cheeks and he smiled at me. "She's beautiful, Bella."

"She… it's a girl," I cried and then felt like my heart was going to burst as soon as Susan handed me the tiny little person, wrapped loosely in a hospital blanket. She had tiny, rosebud lips, the cutest button nose and her pudgy little cheeks had a beautiful hint of pink to them. I cradled her gently to my chest and lightly stroked her cheek with my finger. She was so beautiful, even with small amounts of blood covering her body and hair. I opened the blanket and brought my fingers lightly down her body. She had the softest skin. Her legs were curled up, having been in the same position for so long, and her hands were tucked under her chin. I carefully pried open her small hand and her little fingers wrapped around my pinky.

"She's so beautiful," I sobbed and brought her gently to my face. I inhaled the sweet scent of my daughter and brushed my nose lightly against her cheek.

"Bella, Trevor needs to clean and weigh her, while we get you taken care of," I looked up at her and tears spilled over. "He'll bring her right to you when he's done." Reluctantly I handed her over to him and sat back against the pillows. Esme kissed the side of my head and followed the baby, I could Edward wanted to go as well but he kept a hold of my hand.

"Edward," I said softly. He looked down and I could see his eyes were glazed over. "You can go too, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" His voice cracked and I smiled.

"Yeah."

He leaned down so we were eye level. "That was the most amazing thing I had ever been a part of. Thank you so much for letting me be here."

"I should be thanking you for being here," I smiled. "I couldn't have done this without you, Edward."

His hand brushed my cheek tenderly and then he leaned closer and softly pressed his lips against mine. It was a chaste kiss but it meant the world to me, and I immediately felt the cold when he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. We stared at each other for a few seconds until he pulled back and walked over to the baby.

"You did really good, Bella," Susan congratulated. "No rips or anything."

"Why am I still feeling contractions?" I asked as I tighten my hands and breathed through one. "I feel like I need to push."

"Go ahead and push, Bella, you need to get the placenta out. It's called the after birth." And then I felt a chunk of something slide out of me. "Good job," Susan said. "You're going to continue feeling contraction for a little while. Your uterus needs to shrink back to its normal size."

Carlisle came over to the side of my bed and pulled me to a hug. "You did so great, Bella… I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," I smiled up at him. "Grandpa," I teased and watched his face light up.

"Are they done cleaning her up?"

"Yea, they just finished," he said and wiped the corner of his eye.

"Did you get a chance to hold her yet?"

He shook his head. "Esme has her right now. What are you going to name her?" He asked and sat next to me on the bed. I could see his eyes checking over the machines.

"Emma," I smiled as Edward started walking towards me with a little pink bundle in his arms.

"Let grandpa hold her," I said and looked over at Carlisle. The smile on his face was never-ending as Edward handed her off to Carlisle.

"She looks just like you, Bella," Carlisle whispered. My body did a complete sigh of relief. I would love my baby no matter what, but I was worried about how I would feel if she looked like James. I was scared that the baby would be the spitting image of him and then I'd have no choice but to explain to my family everything that happened. So when Carlisle said she looked like me, a huge truck was lifted off my shoulders.

Trevor walked over to me and congratulated me. "You did very well, Bella. Your daughter is perfectly healthy. She weighed 7lbs 14oz, and was 21inches longs, quite a big baby for your first. Are you going to breastfeed?"

"Yes," I said while I stared at my daughter in her grandpa's arms.

"I think it's critical for the baby to try within the first hour of its life. It helps with the bond between mother and child and also helps the child get the hang of it." Carlisle agreed and slowly handed Emma back to me. I looked over at Esme and asked if she could help me.

"I don't know what to do," I said quietly.

She smiled and helped me situate her so I could try to feed her.

"Brush your finger around her lips, Bella and try to get her to open up. I'll help hold her head and try to get her to latch on properly."

I lightly tickled around her lips until she opened and then Esme helped guide her to nipple. I watched as her small pink lips latched on and the little plump of her cheeks started to move as she began sucking. It was like her body knew exactly what to do and she quickly took to my breast. I lovingly brushed my finger over her cheek and then ran my hand over the top of her head, feeling my heart grow with love each second she was in my arms.

I tore my eyes away from her when I heard a click of a camera and turned to see Esme standing in the corner taking pictures. I smiled up at her so she could take another one, then I went back to watching my daughter nurse. Esme came back and sat next to me on the bed, while Edward told Carlisle about my labor.

"I never knew I could love someone so much, Esme," I cried softly as Emma moved her head slowly off my breast indicating she was finished. I covered my body back up and brought Emma to my face and kissed her softly.

"_What room is she in?" _I smiled as I recognized that voice in hallway.

"_Make sure you wash your hands."_

"_I already washed my hands," _Emmett's voice declared as he opened the door and stepped into the room.

"Come meet your niece," I grinned up at my brother and watched his smile threaten to split open his face.

"It's a girl!" Rosalie and Alice both squealed in unison.

Emmett's dimples were a permanent fixture on his face as he sat next to my legs and I carefully handed him my daughter. If I thought she was tiny in my arms it was nothing compared to how small and delicate she looked while Emmett held her.

"She looks just like you, Belly Bear," he said and looked between me and the baby a few times. I beamed and stared back at my daughter, I would never get tired of hearing that.

"What'd you name her," Jasper asked as he stretched over Alice to get a look at her.

I sat up so I could be closer to Emmett. "I named her after my two favorite people," I looked in my brothers' eyes and watched as his head cocked to the side. "I'd like everyone to meet my daughter… Emma Charlotte Swan." He held my gaze and I had to wipe my cheeks as the fattest alligator tears rolled down my brothers' face.

"Really, sis?" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat.

I shook my head and wiped my face again. "Really, Em," I whispered and wrapped my hand around his shoulder. "I love you, brother."

"I love you… thank you," he cleared his throat again. "I… I'm honored, sis… and I know dad would be too."

I hugged him tightly and then pulled away. My fingers brushed over my daughters head as Emmett looked back down at her sweet little face.

"Emma," he cooed. "You're pretty like you're mama." He continued to talk baby talk to her, completely ignoring everyone in the room.

I glanced around as saw Alice and Rosalie itching to hold her and I started to laugh softly. "I guess I should have let everyone else get a chance before I handed her to him."

"Yep," he said and popped his 'p'. "I don't think I ever want to let her go." My brother had always been a big softy and I could tell right away my daughter had him wrapped around her finger.

"We want to hold her too," Alice whined.

My brother laughed and used his best Godfather voice. "She's got my name… we're connected."

"Shut up, Emmett," Alice sighed rolled her eyes and we all started laughing.

"I think she might hate me when she grows up, though," he said and shrugged his shoulders. I was a little taken back by his demeanor and it took me a minute to respond.

"Why'd you say that? Why would she hate you?" I asked confused.

"Because," he said simply and brushed his lips lightly against her forehead. "I'm never going to let her leave the house," he said matter of fact and I rolled my eyes.

"Told you so," Rosalie sang as she walked over to Emmett and reached for the baby. "Wow, she does like Bella," I smiled again and she cradled my daughter against her chest. "Her hair's a little lighter but she's the spitting image of her mama."Alice held her next and I decided now would be a good time to get cleaned.

"Esme, do you think you could help me?" I asked and she walked over to my bed.

"Sure sweetie, what do you need?"

"Do you think they would let me take a shower?" I asked quietly.

"I don't see why not… Carlisle do you think it's alright if she showers?"

He walked over and nodded his head. "Yea, you'd probably need a nurse in there with you."

"What about Esme?" I asked and met her eyes. "I'd feel more comfortable with you in there."

She smiled and kissed my forehead. "I'll call the nurse in, she'll want to change the bedding as well. Do you have a bag?"

"I think Edward grabbed it before we left but I'm not sure. Alice has had it packed for the last month," I smiled gratefully over to her but she was too busy watching my daughter.

Thankfully the nurse came in and said it was fine for me to take a shower. She unplugged all the cords from me and removed my I.V. plug, but left the needle in my skin, in case they needed to hook me back up for some reason.

Esme helped me walk to the bathroom and started the shower for me. She stepped back out to grab the toiletry bag that Alice packed and another hospital gown. Alice had packed me clothes too but the gowns made it easier to nurse Emma.

After Esme helped wash my body and hair, she gently dried me off. I was extremely grateful that I had her there. She was doing everything that I knew my mom would be doing. After I dressed I went back to the room and sat down on the newly made bed. I watched for the next hour as my family held my daughter, gushing about how beautiful she was. Esme snapped a few more pictures and then Alice carried Emma over to me.

"I think she's hungry, mama." My smile grew when she referred to me as mama. That's what I was now, and would always be.

"We're going to go back to the house and get some sleep. We have a busy day of unloading tomorrow… well I guess today," Carlisle said and gently stroked Emma's cheek. Each one gave her some form of affectionate touch before they said goodbye and left. Edward was the last one in the room and seemed to be reluctant to approach us.

"Aren't you tired?" I asked him and watched as he shrugged his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just – I don't want to leave you here alone," he admitted shyly.

"You're leaving?"My heart dropped a little, I didn't want him to leave. "Why do you have to go?"

"I don't… I just…" he exhaled heavily. "I didn't want to assume anything… I mean…" he slowly walked over to the bed. "I know something has changed between us, but I didn't want to assume anything until we talked about – us."

I smiled big. His words had my heart beating fast and my stomach filled with butterflies, I knew he noticed it too, but now wasn't the time to talk about anything. "I know we need to talk, but I think I need to focus on her right now," I said softly but kept eye contact. "I do want you to know that I feel it too, Edward. But – I just – I'm just not ready yet, ok?"He nodded his head. "I do know that I want you to stay here with us." He smiled as he sat down. "There's room in this bed for the three of us," I smirked and his eyes lit up. He kicked his shoes off and gently scooted up next to us.

I was propped up by pillows and lifted my hips a little so he could pull the blankets out from under me and cover us both up. I opened my gown and brought my daughters lips against my breast so she could nurse. I wasn't embarrassed at all that he was next to me. I saw the love on his face as he watched me feed my daughter. I felt a sense of ease wash over my body as he wrapped one arm over my shoulders and brought his other to rest next to Emma. His long fingers came up and stroked her cheek softly, while we both sat in the bed, staring at this beautiful miracle. She opened up her dark eyes, not really focusing on anything, but I could tell she saw me.

"Hello, mama's sweet pea," I cooed softly to her. "I waited a long time to meet you."

"She's beautiful, Bella," he said quietly. I smiled and looked back down at her.

Her tiny pink lips continued to stay wrapped around my breast and both of our hands were cradling her to me. My fingers stroked through her hair and his continued to brush across her cheek when Edward leaned over and kissed my head tenderly. I leaned into him and he wrapped me in his arms more securely, tucking me under his chin. We watched my daughter nurse until she fell asleep and then we placed her against my chest, both of our hands holding onto her, until we all soon were sleeping.

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**A/N:What'd you think? I had to throw part of my labor experience in this story**

**I had a five hour labor, no drugs and no complications. **

**I really need your imput for the next chapter, it hasn't been started yet. **

**I was thinking about skipping forward to 1 year later so we could catch up to the present time faster.**

**But i don't want to rob you guys of Emma being a baby either.**

**So help me out and let me know your thoughts. **


	19. Chapter 19

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer.

**A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in my update. ****Finals are next week, **

**and with the end of the term I had mad ****papers and presentaions due, which kept me from writing my story. **

**I am sooooooo sorry. But i think you all will be happy to know that this chapter ends ****in the present time!! **

**Yay!!! We are all caught up!! Aren't you so happy. I know I am!!**

**Hope you like it, and don't forget to click the review button afterwards :P**

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**BPOV**

**1 year later**

**November 3****rd****, 2008**

"Happy Birthday," I heard my brother shout from behind us. I was sitting on a chair with Emma in my lap, going through all the presents she had just opened and turned around to see him pushing an enormous Cadillac Power wheel into the backyard. Emma looked at it wide-eyed and started squirming so I would let her down.

"Car," she grinned as her little feet hit the soft grass.

"Emmett," I sighed as she walked with her pudgy legs over to my brother. His dimples were on clear display as he shrugged his shoulders and held his arms out for my daughter.

"What?" He said, smiling up at me then returning his gaze to his niece. "At least it's not a dirt bike."

I had to give him that.

I watched Emma walk as fast as her little legs would allow, her chubby little hands reaching desperately to try and grab onto Emmett. He took a few steps, swooped her in his arms and gave a few raspberries under her chin, making her laugh.

"Look what I got for you," he said and placed her gently into the toy car, buckling her up.

"Car," she repeated and my brother continued to smile.

"That's right, Emma, this is your car."

We watched for the next half hour as my brother tried to explain to her about the different petals and buttons her car came with, but all she wanted to do was hit the gas. It was hysterical watching her eyes grow big and cheeks spread so far it caused her eyes to squint, every time her foot would tap the gas causing her to jerk forward.

I made myself a promise not to buy her toys, simply because I knew she would get enough from the rest of the group. I bought her a little writing desk with a few books and a couple crayon and marker sets. Carlisle and Esme bought her about six different systems from Leap Frog, each one helping her with not so much, using words but knowing her letters and numbers.

Emma was extremely advanced for a one year old and simply pointing to a picture and trying to get her to name it, was not challenging enough for her. She had said her first word at six months and ever since, it had been none stop with her vocabulary. Every toy she was given would somehow help with her development – books, flashcards, you name it she had it. I wasn't surprised in the least, that Carlisle and Esme bought her all those programs, Emma would love them.

Jasper bought her memberships to the Children's Museum, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. He was always into history and Seattle had one of the best Children's Museums, he had been waiting for the chance to take her and I was pretty sure he bought those memberships a long time ago. He wasn't just into history stuff, I mean I don't think it was very smart to discuss wars with a toddler but he did love to read and draw with her.

Alice and Rosalie practically bought her an entire new wardrobe and picked out a beautiful white gold bracelet and matching earrings. I don't think Emma wore the same outfit twice – ever. When she was first born, she would get a new outfit on with each diaper change, it was ridiculous, but it was to be expected by those two. I stopped fighting with them about her clothes, I think after the first month, it was a losing battle. Even though I thought it was ridiculous to spend so much money on clothes for a baby who would only be out growing them in a month, my daughter did dress cute. It was only lucky for them that Emma didn't seem to mind being dressed up all the time, my daughter was very stubborn when she wanted to be and if she didn't want to do something – which was rarely the case – she wouldn't do it. But fortunately for those two she liked getting new clothes and she smiled each time she opened a present that had clothes inside.

And Edward – Edward bought her an outdoor playhouse/swing set combination, perfect size for her. We had been walking through Toy-R-Us one day and apparently Emma had studied the swing set a little too long, giving Edward the idea that she needed to have it. He assembled it the night before her birthday while she was sleeping, and when we came outside for her party he had a huge pink bow laying across the bottom of the slide. Emma's face lit up when she saw it and we had to force her to stop playing after a couple of hours, so she could eat her cake and open the other presents. It was adorable watching how excited she got over things.

Her birthday turned out great and we finally got her to sleep around ten, the latest she had ever stayed up. I knew she was going to be cranky being thrown off her schedule but it was her birthday and she was having fun. Esme and Carlisle wanted to take her home with them that night but I politely declined, I had yet to stay one night away from her and wasn't ready for sleepovers, yet. They knew how I was on the subject, but they kept trying, hoping that one day I would give in.

Thanksgiving came and it turned out to be one of the biggest feasts I had ever seen. Esme had gone all out with food and decorations. She invited the Hales up as well and we all spent the holiday together. Emma had both Claire and Jim wrapped around her finger in just a few minutes. They were very taken with her, and how smart she was. Claire went on and on about how Emma gave Rosalie a run for her money, which I took as a compliment, considering Rosalie is one of the most gorgeous females ever created.

Jim sat with Emma and Carlisle after dinner and started to teach her baby sign. He had brought a toddler book that had several different signs and showed the action to use. Emma caught on fast. Jim was blown away with how fast she learned some of them. By the time they left on Sunday Emma had already been using six of the signs in the book – _please_, _thank_-_you_, _more_, _help_, _drink_, and her favorite was _hug_.

I was not even aware that you could teach sign language to a child but you could and Emma learned how. She carried that book wherever she went, not that she needed it anymore, she had memorized all the signs in it. But it was one of her favorite things and she towed it with her everywhere.

School was going great for me; I was earning my credits at a normal senior pace. The principal told me that I had the option of returning to the mainstream school if I wanted to but I chose to stay at the Teen Parent Program. It made life a lot easier being able to take Emma with me, so I never fell back on my school work and would definitely be graduating in June. I was thrilled that Emma took so well to everyone in the daycare, but it also worried me that she wasn't hesitant of people. She was not like me at all in that aspect. Where I was shy and really only warmed up to my family, she was overly friendly and loved everybody, just like Emmett – who also happened to be her favorite. Emma loved all her family, but the bond she had with my brother was deeper than any she had with the rest of us, including me. Even though I was her mom and I knew she loved me without a doubt, there was something much deeper with what she had with my brother. It was like they were twins, they knew what each other were thinking, they played off each other's emotions, they just bonded instantly.

I remember this one time about a week before Christmas, Emmett and Emma were sitting together on the couch facing each other, and he was getting her to name body parts. He would point to something on his face and she would mirror his action, then he'd name the part and she'd repeat it. I watched from the archway as they did that three times. Finally Emmett pointed to himself and said, "Em-mett."

My daughter looked at him and smiled, her cheeks spreading out across her small face, while touching her chubby little hand to his chest.

"Em," she said excitedly.

My brother nodded slightly and then pointed to her chest. "Em-ma," he said slowly.

Her little fingers splayed out over her own chest and she smiled at my brother. "Em."

"That's right… I'm Em," he pointed to himself then back to her, "and you're Em."

Then her face lit up like it was the Fourth of July, and her tiny little fingers went back and forth between the two of them, while she bounced excitedly in his lap. "Em an Em, Em an Em… Em… M… M n M…. M&M."

Emmett's eyes glazed over and his face broke out in the biggest smile. It amazed me how someone so small could make someone as big as Emmett, turn into a blubbering mess.

"That's right, M&M… that's what we are, my favorite niece…you and me… M&M."

From that day on, that's what they called each other.

And on Christmas Eve, when we all opened our stockings it was no surprise that Emma's was filled with several different M&M items. Her face was glowed each time she'd reached her chunky little hand in the stocking and pull out some form of M&M product. He didn't just have it stocked with candy, which I was thankful for, but he had managed to find some of the most unique items, with an M&M logo on them.

"Where the hel…" Jasper stopped mid sentence as I raised an eyebrow at his almost slip up. He threw me an apologetic smile before looking back at Emmett. "Where did you find an M&M nightlight?"

"I have my ways," was all my brother said and then returned to helping his niece pull items from her stocking. I wasn't sure which of the two were more excited about what she had gotten, but they both had smiles on their faces and stayed in their own little bubble.

Everyone else finished with their own stockings and Esme brought us apple cider and cinnamon rolls, while we watched 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'.

Emma rarely watched TV but it was tradition to watch some kind of Christmas movie on Christmas Eve and Emmett thought a cartoon would be great. A few times during the cartoon Emma would point to the Grinch and say, 'mean' or 'bad', scrunching up her face and wrinkling her nose, making us all laugh. She may have been little but she was very perceptive. It amazed me everyday how smart my daughter was.

Christmas morning Alice woke everyone up at six and insisted we start opening presents; I tried to sleep as long as I could but once Alice was up, especially Christmas morning that was the end of everyone's peaceful dreams. You didn't have a chance in hell to fall back to sleep when the energetic little pixie screamed _presents_. Emma had already been awake and had been tugging on my sleeve trying to get me to open my eyes and once she heard _presents_ she started shaking me and saying "Up". When I kept my eyes closed she started to bounce on Edward hoping to wake him up. I couldn't fake sleep after that, and slowly dragged myself out of the bed, laughing as she continued to bounce on Edward.

We made our way out of the room, meeting Esme and Carlisle in the hallway. I handed my bouncing daughter off to her grandfather and we walked down the stairs.

If I thought Emma had gotten a lot of stuff for her birthday it was nothing compared to the amount of presents she had under the tree. All of her first holidays she had been too little to understand what was going on, and now that she was old enough to enjoy them, everyone went all out. I wasn't even sure where I would be able to put all the stuff once we got home. It must have taken her over three hours to get through all the presents.

The next few months flew by and I watched my daughter mature more and more. She had a lot of personality and there wasn't anybody who could look at her and not smile. She was one of the happiest little girls' I had ever seen and I thanked god everyday that she was in my life. I was a little sad that she was growing so fast, but it was getting fun being able to do more with her. She was able to interact with us and actually enjoy the things she would see.

Easter was an adventure. Esme had over ten dozen eggs hidden at their house. Some were boiled and Emma was able to help dye them, but most were plastic and stuffed with candy and money. She took all day searching their yard for every one of the eggs that were hidden. Esme snapped pictures the entire time, not just of Emma but my genius brother dressed as the Easter Bunny. It was hilarious and Emma got a kick out of it, they hunted for eggs together and then ended up trading different pieces of candy with each other. She had a lot of fun hopping around the yard with her uncle, finding all the eggs.

We had a huge dinner that night and ended up staying over in the spare bedroom, which I shared with Edward. He rarely slept at the dorms ever since Emma was born, wherever we were he was also, and I loved having him around.

No one had ever mentioned anything to us and for that I was glad because Edward and I hadn't spoken about what we were to each other. I knew I loved him and I was pretty sure he loved me but after Emma was born I knew I needed to focus all my attention on her. I wasn't ready to try and start a relationship with Edward that soon after she was born and he didn't seem to mind either.

When I left the hospital he had stayed over and helped me with Emma for the first few weeks. Not that I needed any help, with Esme, Rosalie and my brother constantly around, but it felt good to know Edward wanted to be there with us. He couldn't really feed her since I had chosen to breast feed but he helped with changing her diapers, giving her baths, and he went to almost every one of her check-ups with us. He played with her every chance he got, we took walks together, ate dinner together, and he basically lived with us. To an outsider it would appear that we were a couple because he was always around us, his arm around my shoulder or holding my hand if we walked anywhere, and sometimes it felt like we were a couple but we still had yet to have any discussion about a relationship.

There were a few nights when the three of us fell asleep together in my room and I thought my heart might burst from sheer happiness. The way he looked at Emma while she lay between us, was like a father looking at his daughter. It was just a matter of time before we would have 'The talk' and be an official couple and I was starting to get antsy.

In the beginning I was focused on Emma and only her but as she got older and Edward and I seemed to get closer, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I wanted to be with him, and the way he was with her, I knew he would raise her as his own. We were careful the few times that we did share a kiss, not to do it in front of her, I wanted to know for certain that we were going to be together before I was overly affectionate in front of her or anyone for that matter. I wasn't sure what he was waiting for and as much as it was killing me not being an actual 'couple', I would wait forever for Edward; I just really hoped he didn't take that long.

**May 8****th****, 2009**

"Hey, Emmett," I greeted my brother as Emma and I walked through the door.

"Hey sis," he waved and then opened his arms for my daughter.

"Hey my little M&M," he smiled when she jumped in his arms.

Emmett was usually finished with all his classes by the time she and I got home and those two would immediately enter their own little world.

"Did you have fun at school?" He asked her after he twirled her around a few times.

Her dirty blond ringlets bounced on her head as she shook her head 'yes'. He placed a few kisses on her cheek and sat back down on the couch.

"I colored," her small voice sang happily.

"You colored?" He asked excitedly. "What did you color?"

I left them to their conversation when my phone started to ring and smiled softly when I saw that it was Esme.

She asked me the night before if she could keep Emma over night and even though I had never let her out of my sight before, something kept telling me to let her go. My chest squeezed slightly against my heart at the thought of her not being around in the morning, though. I had woken up to her beautiful face every day of her life and it made me sad to think of that not happening. I didn't want her to go anywhere without me, but something – a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, was telling me to let her go with Esme.

I was trying to ignore my own selfish reasons for keeping her with me and decided to think of the pros. It was only for one night, and they would only be eight minutes away, that wasn't too far. Emma would have a blast during a sleep over and if I knew Esme, she probably had an entire night of activities planned out. She loved having a grandchild and part of being a grandmother was getting overnights. I knew it was time for me to let them both have that experience.

I sighed quietly and pressed 'talk'.

"Hey, Esme."

"Hi, Bella. How was your last day of school?" I could hear the smile in her voice.

"It was great," I beamed. "I'm officially finished with high school. Graduation is June 5th and all I need to do is order my cap and gown."

"I'm so happy for you, Bella."

"Thank you." There was a slight pause and I knew she was waiting for me to let her know what my decision was but she was too polite to push. "So," I said non-chalantly. "I did a lot of thinking today at school and I think that Emma would have a lot of fun staying the night with you and Carlisle."

"Really?!" She squealed in excitement and I laughed quietly. "I'm so excited, thank you. I promise she's going to be just fine, honey."

"I know, but you can't be surprised if I call to talk to her every hour."

She laughed musically. "I would expect nothing less."

"Well, what time did you want to get her? It's…" I looked over at the clock on the wall, "a little after two right now."

"Would you mind if I picked her up right now? I need to run to the store for a few things and I'd like to surprise grandpa when he gets off at three."

"No, I don't mind. I don't really need to pack anything since you have clothes for her there and you have your own car seat. I'm going to have to pry Emmett away from her, though," I grunted the last part.

"Have fun with that," she giggled softly. "Alright, sweetie I'm going to head over, I'll see you in a few."

"Ok, see you when you get here, love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

"Bye." I turned and started walking back towards the living room, scrunching my forehead a little when I realized Emmett and Emma were arguing.

"A kiss!" Emmett deadpanned.

"No… hug!"

"Nope," Emmett popped his 'p' and tried to argue. "A kiss."

"Nope," my daughter mimicked her uncle as they continued to stare each other down, I had no idea what they were arguing about but I could tell neither one was ready to give in. I saw my brother squint his eyes to show he was serious and then watched as my daughter pulled out her smoking gun. I tried to stifle my laugh when she effortlessly raised her eyebrow at him, the same one I use to get my point across and in her case, quickly winning the battle. No one could ever resist that look, she had perfected it so well.

My brother sighed heavily and grunted as he brought his hand out from behind his back.

"But I wanted the kiss," he pouted and slowly unfolded his right hand, revealing something small wrapped in silver foil.

My daughter kept her serious face and reached down adamantly plucking it out of his palm. She quickly unwrapped the foil and before I could say anything, she popped it in her mouth.

"Emmett," I sighed loudly and they both looked over, guilt written on their faces but not enough to stop my daughter from chewing. "Did you just give her chocolate?"

He smiled sheepishly and wrapped his arms around her as he stood up. "Technically – she took it."

"A kiss," my daughter smiled with a chocolate grin. She was too adorable for her own good.

"Can I have a kiss?" I asked as Emmett handed her to me.

"All gone," she shrugged her shoulders and held up her hands to show me they were empty. She had too much personality for a one and half year old, it was mind boggling.

"No silly," I touched her nose gently. "Mama wants a real kiss."

She puckered up her perfect little rosebud lips and leaned over to plant a kiss against mine.

"Thank you," I smiled and kissed her cheeks a few times. "Guess what, Emma?"

She leaned back and smiled.

"You get to stay the night with nana."

"Nana?" She asked surprised and her eyes widened. "Papa too?"

I shook my head and smiled. "Yes, baby, papa will be there when he's off work. Nana's coming right now to get you."

"Yay, nana!" She squealed and started to clap her hands.

"Really, sis?" Emmett asked a little stunned. "You're going to let her go for the night?"

I simply shrugged my shoulders. "Yeah, Esme's wanted her to stay over since the day she was born."

"I'm just surprised you're actually letting her go."

"I know," I sighed and started zipping up her jacket. "Something's telling me I should let her and look how excited she is," I paused to stare at her toothy grin. "Besides, she's only a few blocks away."

"Nana!" my daughter shouted as she saw Esme's car pull up out front.

"Give uncle a kiss goodbye."

She leaned forward and planted a huge kiss on his lips.

"Bye M&M, be good for nana."

"Bye, M&M," she yelled eagerly and started to wave as I opened the front door.

"Nana!" she screamed when Esme stepped out of the car.

"Hi, Emma," she beamed at her granddaughter. "Did mama tell you, you get to stay the night?"

She anxiously nodded her head, and then cocked it off to the side. "Papa?"

"He's at work," she said and opened the back door so I could load her in the car seat. "We get to go surprise him."

"Yay, papa!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm. She loved all of us but I knew she had her favorites, and next to Emmett it was Carlisle.

"You be good for nana and papa, ok?"

She nodded and I kissed her cheeks a few more times before I closed the back door.

"She'll be fine, Bella," Esme lightly stoked my back as she hugged me goodbye.

"I know," I sighed and pulled away. "Have fun. I'll try not to call too much."

I watched my daughters pudgy little fingers wave good bye as Esme pulled back onto the street. I turned around and slowly walked up the steps and into the house.

"So, what do you want to do tonight?" Emmett asked from the couch. I plopped down beside him and shrugged.

"I have absolutely no idea."

"Well, Rosie has to get up at like four in the morning tomorrow so she's not coming over tonight. Do you want to watch movies or something?"

I thought about sitting at home but everywhere I looked it reminded me of Emma, call me a big sissy or whatever, but I was seriously not used to being away from her.

"No, why don't we go out to a movie," I suggested. I really wanted to get out of the house.

"Oh! Wolverine came out – we can go watch that," he said actively. "We can go to dinner, too. I want to hit that new steakhouse."

"I'm surprised you haven't been already," I teased.

"Well, I was going to go with Edward tomorrow night, he said he needed to talk to me about something, but we can go for drinks, I'd rather do dinner and movie with my number one girl," he stopped and cocked his head slightly before he continued. "Um, no that's my M&M, you're my number two… no wait that's Rosie… shit… how 'bout I just go to dinner with my one and only sister," he grinned.

"Shut up," I teased and pushed against his arm.

"I love you and all, you got to know that, Bells… but your little mini-you, stole your place fair and square," he laughed.

"Don't I know it," I laughed with him. "Hey, Em?" I looked down and started playing with the fringe on my pants.

"Yea," he shifted so we were facing each other.

"What are you going to do about the offer?" I had been wondering about that for quite awhile.

A few weeks ago Emmett had met with Jim Mora and Paul Allan, the coach and owner of the Seahawks and they had offered him a two year deal for $3.7 million. We were ecstatic but Emmett had his doubts and asked them if he could have time to think about it. They gave him until the end of May and then they'd need a decision.

"I don't know, Belly Bear," he casually rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm afraid that if I sign the contract, I'm never going to want to leave the NFL, and Rose and me have plans. We're going to open a shop once we graduate and…" He trailed off.

"And what?" I nudge him with my elbow.

"I don't know… after being around my M&M, it's kind of got me and Rosie thinking about our own kids. I just don't want to be one of those dad's that are always gone because of the games… ya know?"

"I know," I leaned over and gave him a hug. "Whatever you decide I'll back you 100%." I pulled back from the hug and stood up, reaching down to help him off the couch as well.

"I won't lie and say it wouldn't be the coolest thing ever having a brother in the NFL," I winked as he held open the door for me. "But I think it would be just as cool for you to own your own business and then Rosie can pop out some nieces or nephews for me."

I had a lot of fun spending the rest of the day with my brother, the movie was cool and dinner was nice. We talked about how school was going for him and how he and Rosalie were planning on marrying after they both get their degrees, which would be in another year.

"You excited about graduation?" Emmett asked as we pulled up to the house.

"Yes, I am so ready to be finished with school."

"Are you still planning on taking a year off before you go to UW?"

"Yea… maybe more… I just feel… I mean – Emma's growing up so fast, and I don't want to miss out on her early years because of college. It's not like I need to get a degree right away and I don't really need a job or anything," I shrugged and sat down next to him on the couch, quickly tucking my legs under me.

"Bella," he started and popped the top off his beer. "I think that's the most grown-up decision you have ever made…. Besides keeping my little M&M, and I couldn't agree more with you."

I heaved a sigh of relief. "Good, because I really didn't feel like arguing about it. I think that when I do decide to go to college it'll be after Emma is in school, that way I wouldn't be shoving her into daycares just so I could get a degree, ya know."

"I agree, sis, and I'm glad you're making that choice to stay home with her."

"Thank you."

"I don't know if I ever told you this, Belly…. But I think you're one of the greatest moms out there."

Something in his voice and the sincerity in his expression touched a place deep inside my heart and my eyes quickly sprung with tears.

"I didn't mean to make you cry… it's just… most girls who get pregnant so young are not very responsible, they'd rather go party or pawn their kid off to someone else so they could live their lives for themselves, but you were never like other girls … you, Bella… you live your life for Emma, and I mean… I want you to know that I think you're incredible."

He smiled at me and I smiled back and tried to wipe my face as fast as the tears fell but it was useless. I had always looked up to my brother on so many different levels and for him to say such amazing things to me, about me, was overwhelming and I didn't have any words to thank him properly. Instead I leaned over and hugged him as hard as I could while I cried softly into his neck.

"I love you, Emmett."

"I love you too, Belly Bear and I can't imagine what our lives would be like without the little oober Bella," he teased, lightening up the mood.

I pulled back and laughed with him. "You really think she looks like me?"

He rolled his eyes and offered me some popcorn.

We sat quietly next to each other and watched 'the guy channel' until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I vaguely remembered being carried up to my room and I wasn't sure if I had dreamt Edward saying he loved me and kissing my cheek or if it had actually happened, I was back to sleep before I could ponder over it any further.

**BPOV **

**Present time.**

"_She's fine."_

"_Why would she faint like that?"_

"_She gets lightheaded sometimes, but she's alright. See, she's starting to wake up right now." _

I could hear voices around me but I was having a hard time opening my eyes. They felt extremely heavy and the throbbing inside my head was not making things any easier. The blood pulsating in my brain felt like it was going to explode and I groaned.

"Hey, you," I could tell that was Edward… it was always a good thing knowing a doctor.

Slowly my eyelids started to cooperate and opened slightly.

"Hey," I rasped out.

"You scared the crap out of me, sis."

I blinked a few times and then my eyes focused on my brothers' worried face.

"Sorry, Em," I whispered and tried to sit up. Edward wrapped his arms around me and helped me into a sitting position.

"Drink some water, love," he handed me the glass off the living room table.

I took a small drink and handed it back.

"I assume I fainted?" I tried to tease, earning smile from Edward but not Emmett.

"You freaked me out, sis," he came and sat next to me on the couch.

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be right back," Edward said, obviously giving me and Emmett a moment.

"What happened, Bella? You were all freaked out and then once you saw James, you passed out."

"James," I whispered harshly and everything came back.

His face as he touched her picture, the evil look in his eyes as he said her name. Every single threat he had ever made to me came rushing back and I felt my heart was going to explode out of my chest. My hands started shaking and I quickly grabbed onto Emmett.

"Bella… what's wrong?" He all but growled out as he turned to face me.

"Emmett… oh my god…. Please, don't let him in here…" I begged and tears started falling down my cheeks. "Please… oh god, I'll tell you everything… just don't let him see me… please, Emmett, please!"

I was on the verge of hyperventilating as I begged my brother, I felt like I was going to throw up and I was sure that if I would have to be in the same room as James, I would definitely pass out again.

"Bella, calm down," he said forcefully and I snapped my eyes to his. I watched my brothers' chest rise and fall as his breathing became heavier, I saw his nostrils begin to flare and his grip on me tightened. "He's outside and I'll make sure he doesn't come in," he growled.

"Thank you," I sobbed and let out a shaky breath.

"Why the fuck are you so afraid of James?" He demanded.

I shook my head vigorously. "I'll tell you everything, Em, I promise… just please make him leave… please don't let him in here."

"I'll be right back," he continued to glare at me. I wasn't sure what had pissed him off but my brother was in his full blown 'don't-fuck-with-me' mode. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead a little robustly and then pulled back. "If that _mother-fucker _did anything to you, Bella, I'm going to beat his ass."

"Please… just make him leave and then I'll tell you… just don't say anything to him right now, Em. I need you to come right back," I begged and held onto his arm like my life depended on it.

"I'll be right back, why don't you call Rosalie and see where's she at?"

"Ok," I said, still shaken up.

I watched as my brother met Edward in the hallway and they both walked outside. I could hear Emmett talking to James and cringed when I heard him ask if I was ok. _Was I ok? _He already knew the answer to that.

I picked up my phone and quickly dialed Rosalie. I wasn't sure why my brother wanted me to call her – if it was for his benefit or mine, but either way, I really wanted her at the house when I told my story.

"Hey, Bella. Is your brother missing me already? I told him I'd be there as soon as I could."

"Rosalie?" Tears had sprung to my eyes the second I heard her and my voice cracked as I said her name.

"Bella? Bella, honey, what's wrong? Are you ok? Is Emma, ok?" She started to sound panicked.

"Rosalie," I tried to clear my throat. "Will you come over here please?" I started to sob.

"Bella, is Emmett ok?"

"Yes, we're ok," I wiped my eyes. "I need you to come over here, Rosalie." I could tell my voice sounded weak but I did need her. I was going to need her big time, as I relived the biggest nightmare of my life.

"Sweetie, I am seriously four minutes away. Stay on the phone with me. Where's Emmett?" I could hear traffic in the background and could tell she was already driving.

"He's outside."

"Ok… where's Emma, is she there with you?"

"No, she stayed the night with Esme and today they were taking her to the zoo," I said faintly.

"Is that why you're upset, honey? This is the first time she's been away from you, right?"

"Yea, but that's not what's wrong… I never thought I'd say this but I am freaking ecstatic she isn't here right now."

"Bella," Rosalie gasped. "Now, you've really got me worried. What the hell would make you say that?" I heard a door shut and looked out the window sighing in relief when I saw her step out of the car.

"You're here… thank god," I sobbed.

"I'm going to talk to Em real fast and then I'll be inside, ok?"

"Ok, hurry please," I flipped my phone shut and placed my head in my hands. I tried to take a few deep breathes as I prepared myself to tell my brother everything. I could hear the front door shut and a few footsteps as they entered the room.

"Hey," Rosalie said softly as she wrapped me in her arms. I held on tight and started to cry. "Shh, it's ok. You're going to be ok, sweetie."

"No," I croaked out. "It's not ok, it's never going to be ok. He found me."

"Who?" She asked and started running her hands through my hair.

"He told me I'd never get away from him," I started to sob uncontrollably.

"Shh," this time it was my brother trying to soothe me and I cried even harder. "Belly, no one is going to hurt you, but you have to tell me what's going on."

"Em, baby, hand me some tissues," Rosalie whispered.

I felt my brother sit down next to me and I pulled back so I could grab a tissue.

"Bella," he said gently and I wiped my nose before looking over at him. "No more fucking around, sis. You need to tell me everything."

A few more tears rolled down my cheeks and then I took a deep breath before nodding.

"You're going to be so mad, Em," I said quietly. My voice still shook from my sobbing.

"Look at me, sis." I lifted my gaze from the floor and met my brothers' concerned eyes. "Nothing will make me love you any less, understand? You're my sister and it's my job to protect you but you have to let me know what's going on."

"Could you do me a favor first?" I asked Rosalie. She nodded and I continued. "Will you call and ask Esme to keep Emma again tonight."

"Ok, honey. I'll be right back."

"I'm going to grab something to drink, do you want anything?" Emmett asked as he stood from the couch.

"A water, please."

Rosalie came back before my brother and told me that Emma was having fun at the zoo and Esme was more than thrilled to keep her again. That made me smile. My daughter was safe and loved and even if I had to run away after tonight, I was going to make sure she stayed that way.

"Here you go, Bella." My brother handed me my water and sat down in the chair across from me and Rosalie. I grabbed on to her hand and squeezed as I looked at my brother.

"Emmett, I need you to promise me that you'll let me tell you the whole thing before you say anything. I need to get it all out and if you interrupt I don't know if I'll be able to."

"Is is that bad?" He asked cautiously.

I nodded slightly. "I wasn't lying when I said you were going to be mad. Maybe not at me… well maybe a little at me, but you're going to hear a lot of things that even I wish had never happened."

I paused briefly and took a drink of my water. Rosalie squeezed my hand in encouragement and I continued.

"Just let me get it all out, ok? I haven't had to repeat any of this, ever, and it's hard for me to relive it." I took a shuddering breath.

"I'll try my best to keep my mouth shut, Bella, I can promise you that I will at least try." He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. "I have a feeling this has to do with all those nightmares and if I'm right in thinking that James is involved in any of this, don't be surprised when I beat the ever living shit out of him."

"James?" Rosalie cocked her head and looked at my brother. "Your friend James?"

"We'll see what our friend status is after Bella tells me what's going on," he growled.

"Ok, Emmett but I can't do it if you're going to yell and stuff, you need to let me say it first."

He took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair. "Ok, sis, I'm sorry."

I let out my own breath and took hold of Rosalie's hand again as I started my story.

"Umm, I guess I need to start off at the beginning. It was freshman year right after my birthday. I met up with Alice and Rosalie for cheerleading practice and Alice had mentioned some new guy coming to try out for practice…."

* * *

**A/N: So what did you think my lovely's?**

**Did you like it? Did you hate it? Should i continue?**

**I want to thank you all for giving me story a chance and for sticking with it!  
I am having a blast writing it. **

**Now that we are caught up I think it'll be easier to throw in some EPOV's,  
What do you think? **

**Well I hoped you liked the chapter. Once finals are over, my updates will be more frequent. **

**Thanks for reading. **


	20. Chapter 20

**********Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer.

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, spring break is finally here and I was able to finish my chapter. **

**We are still in the present but I have a treat for you.... this is EPOV!**

**I had a lot of people ask about why Edward wasn't there when Bella was telling her story and this chapter explains it. **

**I was in such a hurry to get last chapter out that I missed that key point. **

**In the very first chapter they had planned to go to the bar and catch up on stuff but then **

**Emmett decided to stay with Bella because she was going to tell him everything.**

**I just forgot to clarify that last chapter, so i am VERY sorry!**

**Well I hope you all like this chapter, I know I did. **

* * *

**EPOV**

**May 9****th****, 2009**

"_Turn over," I commanded. "Get on your hands and knees."_

_She did as she was told and I could see the slight tension in her body as she got into position before me. She looked back and watched me as I stared at her. The desire radiated from my body and flew into her and her knees shifted of their own accord, widened, and presented herself to me even further._

_I moved my head down until my breath was on her, hot against her swollen flesh. I hovered, I didn't say a word or make a sound, and I could with tell with her anticipation, she might literally explode._

"_What are you doing?" She asked her voice hoarse with need. She needed me, needed me to touch her, to fuck her._

_My tongue was on her instantly and she let out a long, low moan. I lapped at her with the flat of my tongue, each stroke hard and greedy; I tasted her from top to bottom. I grabbed her thighs, and opened her further, my body demanded more access, and she fell to her elbows as I pulled her apart in every sense of the word._

_My tongue pushed into her and tasted all she had to give. I moved my head in counter-rhythm to her as she thrust her hips; I fucked her with my mouth like I soon would with my cock. I breathed in the potent smell of her arousal and it made my head spin, and unleashed my baser instincts._

"_Mine," I growled against her, and took one last pass with my tongue before I moved my hips into position._

_I was hot and pulsing as I slid into her, slowly, easily. We groaned in unison at the sensation and my entire body pulsed as she tightened her internal muscles around me._

_I knew my fingers were going to bruise her as I dug them into the swell of her hips, and pulled her body against me in rough strokes, but I couldn't stop myself. The sheer force of my thrusts drove out her strangled cries and the sounds only served to increase the speed of my movements._

_I felt it building, knew my climax was mere seconds away. I leaned over her just enough to reach my hand around and down to where we were joined. My fingers moved quickly against her clit, they demanded her release, and after a few strokes, her body submitted. She threw her head back and wailed as her orgasm overtook her, her body tensed before going limp. Her spasms around me coaxed my own release and I held her wilted body against mine as I spilled into her._

_I fell and crushed her beneath me, but she relished my weight atop her and didn't tell me to move. My breath was hot and heavy in her ear as I recovered and too soon I rolled off and lay next to her. I turned my head to look at her, eyelids heavy and chest still heaved with labored breath, and smiled._

_She moved her hand to lie over my heart, tapped her fingers gently with each erratic beat._

"_Mine," she said softly, followed by a kiss. _

"_Yours," I smiled back, and as I reached over to tuck a beautiful brown lock behind her ear, she disappeared before I made contact. _

_Where did she go? Where did she always go? I only knew I needed to find her. My hand searched the open space desperately I wanted her back next to me but it was gone, just like all the other times. I felt my heart start to race and knew I would start to panic. I tried to scream her name but nothing came out. My body couldn't move no sound was able to leave my mouth. I tried to struggle against the force that held me down, but it was useless. _

With labored breaths I woke up sweating, as I always did when I dreamt about Bella. My dreams had started to become more sexual the past few months. The sexual tension that rolled off of us was smothering. As I lay on the couch and tried to calm my breathing, a small smile formed against my lips, as I remembered tonight I would be talking to Emmett. I was finally going to tell him what I should have told him years ago.

I loved her.

I was in love with her and I wanted to be with her forever. There was no mistaken she felt the same way but she was very cautious because of Emma.

_Emma. _

I loved that beautiful little girl like she was my own. I felt like she really was my own. The day she came into the world my heart grew ten sizes to accompany the amount of love I had for her.

The day Bella announced she was pregnant, I thought I was going to die. I had already been devastated when I saw that hickey on her neck on New Years; I thought I lost my chance with her. But it was nothing compared to the pain when my heart felt as she said she was pregnant, I didn't want to believe she was even having sex, it was too painful. To be in love with her, while she was with someone else and now she carried their child, it was heart wrenching.

I felt like a bastard for actually being relieved when she told Emmett she'd never say who the father was. The selfish prick inside me was glad there wasn't going to be a guy around, I was glad I wouldn't have to witness her with someone else. But when I saw the amount of pain she was in when she was forced to talk about the father, I wanted nothing more than to find out who he was and bash his head in. He had obviously hurt her and she was terrified, there was no mistake in that. Her nightmares were constant reminders of what a monster she had been with.

Over the months of her pregnancy my love for her grew along with the size of her belly. She was even more beautiful, there seemed to be a glow about her, which only enhanced her normal beauty. I loved the feel of her belly under my hand. I wanted to be with her for every step of the pregnancy and I was freaking elated when they decided to move to Seattle. She was going to be closer to me.

I was on cloud nine when we unloaded their stuff from the U-Haul; I was that much closer to being with her. We were in the living room taking a small break when we watched Bella walk outside and light something on fire. We all shared small glances at each other and then turned back towards Bella. Her face was emotionless but I could see it in her eyes that she was hurting. Whatever that was she had burnt had meant something to her at one point in time. And moments later my suspicions were confirmed, as we all listened to Bella pour her heart out on that guitar.

I heard it in her voice, I felt it in her words, all the pain she was in, and I vowed to give her time to get over him. I was not going to push myself on her. If Bella and I were meant to be, then we would be. Thankfully after that day she seemed to be doing a lot better. There was a tiny spark back in her eyes when she smiled and I thrived to keep it there. I made sure to show her that I cared about her, and little by little I could tell she was getting over her heartache.

The day I walked in on her belly photo shoot, I almost confessed my love for her right then. She had been standing next to the window with a thin white sash hanging loosely off her body and she was cupping her belly, the light from the window made her appear angelic – she was a vision. I couldn't take my eyes off her and when Rosalie mentioned one of us helping with the shoot my feet swiftly carried me over to her and my hand covered her belly. My mom blew a few of them up and made a tiny collage for me, which I have next to my bed; Bella has one on her dresser as well.

The day Emma was born was truly amazing, I was able to experience every minute with Bella. There were no words to express how I felt seeing Emma born. It was a life-changing experience and I couldn't wait until we were a family and I would be able to experience it all over again. Bella told me that night that she wanted to focus on Emma and I agreed with her, I was in no rush. I would wait as long as she needed me to wait. I stayed with her the entire time she was in the hospital and even a few weeks at her house when she was released.

We had pretty much tip-toed around our feelings but we both knew they were there. We would hold hands and kiss when we were alone but we had yet to discuss our 'status', it still felt as if we were a couple, so I wasn't complaining.

We did everything together, grocery shopping, taking Emma to the park, holidays – we were always together. We even started sharing the same bed when I would stay over. It felt right having her wrapped up in my arms, Emma nestled between us.

I was there for the first time Emma sat-up by herself, crawled, took her first step, said her first word; I shared all her first with them. They were my life; Emma was a ball of sunshine and had me wrapped around her finger, I would do anything to make them happy. I loved those two girls more than I thought humanly possible and hopefully after my talk with Emmett, Bella and I could finally start our life together as a couple.

I sat up on the couch when Emmett walked in the room and brought me back to the present.

"Morning sunshine," he was entirely too chipper in the morning.

"Hey."

"Getting excited about the draft?" Emmett asked as he plopped down next to me and turned up the T.V.

"A little, I'm kind of wondering who the Yankees are going to get. There's been talk about a few people."

We sat around and bullshitted about baseball until the love of my life walked in and asked us about waffles. I loved the fact that Bella loved to take care of everyone.

She joined us a few minutes later after she brought our plates and we sat together and ate. She took our plates when we finished and Emmett ran upstairs to get his clothes when my phone rang.

I didn't recognize the number but I pressed talk anyway.

"Hello."

"Hey, man how's it going?" I recognized that voice from somewhere, but I couldn't place it.

"Who's this?"

"James… don't tell me you forgot about me already?" He joked.

"No shit… hey man where you been?" I stood up from the couch and caught Emmett as he was coming down the stairs. "I'm going to go outside real quick and talk."

"OK… I'll be out there in a minute."

"James… what's been going on?" I asked him and walked outside.

"Not much man. I had to go home for awhile but I'm back now."

"Yea… Jasper said something about a death in the family. Sorry about that."

"It's cool, but thanks. Well I was hoping to catch up with everyone now that I'm back."

"Come on over," I told him as Emmett stepped outside.

"Cool, where are you at?" He asked a little anxiously.

"Where are you at now?" Emmett looked over and I mouthed 'James' to him and he quickly snatched the phone.

"Hey!" Emmett bellowed into the phone. "No shit it's been awhile – yea, come over – where you at – campus, OK, you're not that far."

Emmett told him the directions and within five minutes James pulled up.

"Wow, Emmett drop steroids much," James joked as Emmett did the very manly hug.

"Nope… this is all Bella's cooking."

"Bella," James smiled as he said her name and a small jolt of jealousy coursed through my body but I tried to quickly push it away.

"Aw man, just wait 'til Belly sees you, it's been a couple years hasn't it," Emmett asked as he started back towards the front door.

"Yea, we've all been here about two years now, I don't have my own room but I basically live with these two," I said.

"Yea, I guess it has been about two years since the last time I saw the three of you," James laughed out.

"Well, she's here… come inside and check out the house," Emmett insisted.

"OK, just let me grab something from the truck," James said and quickly jogged over to the street.

Emmett went inside and I chose to wait for James before I headed in. He came back with a small package I assumed for Bella.

"Still trying to show us up, huh," I teased.

"Nah," he said and we both headed inside.

I showed him the living room and kitchen, I figured Bella would be there but she wasn't.

"Maybe she's upstairs. Come on," I nodded my head towards the stairs.

As we were almost to the top Emmett shut Bella's door and stopped us from coming further.

"Hey, something happened with Bella, I think she ate too much this morning, she kind of just got sick in the bathroom."

"Should I go check on her and make sure she's ok. I was looking forward to seeing her and giving her a present. I know it's late, but it took me awhile to find you guys after I got back into town," James said.

"You remembered her birthday? How did you even know you'd find us?" Emmett asked.

"It doesn't surprise me, James always brought stuff for Bella, remember Em? He had a gift for everything Christmas, Valentines, her birthday, remember we used to flick him shit about it saying he was making us look bad." I felt bile start to rise up because of my jealousy and I tried hard to cover it up with a laugh. I recalled all the times when James was around Bella, it brought back how I used to feel about his relationship with her. It could have been anyone that I was jealous of, really, it was just that James was always with her.

"Hey, so sue me, she was like a sister to all of us Emmett," James told him.

"Yea, well, she's not up for company right now, so let's just do this some other time ok."

"Well do you two want to go catch up at the bar and watch some Sports Center?" James smiled and asked.

"Nah, why don't you two go down, I want to make sure she's going to be ok. I can catch up with you guys later."

"Alright man, tell her I hope she feels better, and tell her thanks for breakfast." I told him and started to walk back down the stairs.

"Hold on a second James I'm going to grab my sweatshirt."

"Alright, I'll wait by the door."

I had just finished pulling the sweatshirt over my head when I heard James call out.

"Hey, Edward?"

"Yea, what's up?" I said and slapped my hand on James' shoulder.

"Who's that with Bella?" He asked and pointed to the picture on the wall.

"She's the girl that stole my heart 18 months ago." I smiled and tapped on the glass of the frame next to James' finger. "She's Bella's daughter."

I stared at the beautiful faces of my girls and smiled as I remembered that day. I loved that picture. Emma had just been playing on the play set I got her for her birthday and Emmett surprised them with the camera. Bella had been twirling her around after she slid down the slide and when Emmett called their names they both looked over and he snapped the picture.

"She's a little cutie," I said with a smile.

"18 months you said?" James said slowly and leaned in to touch the picture. "What's her name?"

"Emma," I beamed. "Emma Charlotte Swan. She named her after Emmett and Charlie."

"Emma," he whispered and reached out to touch the frame again.

I heard a gasp come from the stairs and looked over to see a very pale and wide eyed Bella standing frozen next to Emmett.

"Hello Bella," James whispered, and then I watched as Bella's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell against Emmett.

He caught her quickly and I rushed to her side.

"Belly," Emmett tried to get her to wake up.

"Emmett, let's go lay her down on the couch," I moved out of the way so he could walk first.

I went to the kitchen and got a cold wash rag and a glass of water, then made my way back to the living room. I wiped the rag along her face and we waited anxiously for her to wake up. She was prone to fainting but it was never easy seeing her unconscious.

"Does she have the flu or something?" James asked from over my shoulder.

"No, she just fainted," Emmett said a little terse.

"But I thought you said she wasn't feeling good, should we take her to the hospital?" James sounded really worried.

"She's fine," Emmett snapped and glared at James.

"Why would she faint like that?"

"She gets lightheaded sometimes, but she's alright," I tried to reassure them and ease away the tension that seemed to be building with Emmett.

Her eyelids started to flutter and I let out a sigh of relief. "See, she's starting to wake up right now."

"Hey, you," I whispered softly.

Her eyelids fluttered some more then opened slightly. "Hey," she rasped out.

"You scared the crap out of me, sis," Emmett knelt down next to her.

"Sorry, Em," she whispered and tried to sit up. I wrapped my arms around her and helped her into a sitting position.

"Drink some water, love." I was paying most attention to Bella but I could have sworn I heard a growl from behind me, and then the front door shut.

She took a small drink and handed it back.

"I assume I fainted?" She teased and I smiled softly. Emmett continued to scowl.

"You freaked me out, sis," he sat next to her on the couch.

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be right back," I said. It looked like they needed to talk and I figured I would go find James.

He turned towards the door when he heard me open it and I stepped out.

"Hey," he mumbled.

"She's OK, James. I hate it when she faints, too, but it happens pretty often with her."

"But she'll be alright?"

"Yea," I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'll go check on her again and I'll be right back."

When I stepped in I met a very annoyed looking Emmett and he motioned for me to go back outside.

"I think you guys should go down to the bar and catch up. I'm going to stay with Bella," Emmett said.

"Is she Ok?" James asked and was met with a glare from Emmett.

"She's fine. I'm her brother, I know how to take care of her."

"Whoa, sorry Emmett, I didn't mean anything by it," James said sincerely and held up hands.

"Look, it's just a bad time right now; I need to get back to my sister. I'll call you guys when she's ready for company." Emmett ran his hand over his head and grabbed the back of his neck, a sure sign that something was wrong.

I looked over and nodded. "Call me later, Emmett."

"Is that Rosalie?" James asked and we both looked over as she stepped out of the car and quickly flipped her phone shut.

"James?" She asked as she got closer.

"Yea… hey Rose, how you been?" He smiled up at her and she gave him a quick hug before walking over to Emmett.

"The guys are going to go down to Walt's – Bella's inside." He gave her a quick kiss and she walked inside. We all said good-bye and then James and I walked towards the bar.

"So, are you back for good now?" I asked him as we started to rack up a game of pool.

"Yea, I think I am." His eyes were slightly unfocused as he looked off to the side.

"How'd you know where to find us? I mean – how'd you get my number?" I asked and picked up the cue.

"I went back to Forks and when I didn't find you guys at any of your houses I asked around," he shrugged.

"Are you going to come back to school?"

"No, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I have some money so I'm not too worried about that right now." He took his shot, and quickly sunk his ball. "What about you? You almost finished?"

"I got my bachelor's early, which is cool and now I'm in Medical School. After I finish with that I'll be able to do my residency."

"Too much school for me, man," he joked and took another shot.

James and I played a few more rounds of pool and then sat at a small table and continued to catch up. I was into my third beer when a very pissed off Emmett stormed in to the bar hell bent on finding something.

He saw both James and me sitting at the table, I watched his eyes glaze over and he quickly marched up to us. James looked up in time to see Emmett before he made it to the table and James' face turned to stone as he stood up to confront him.

Emmett reached him and had a look in his eye that would make any man cower away, and through gritted teeth he yelled, "What the fuck, James?"

I sat there confused; I had absolutely no idea why Emmett would be so upset, especially at James.

James looked back at Emmett with the same intense stare; obviously he knew what Emmett was so mad about and he quickly started to yell at him.

"You will not keep me from her. She belongs to me."

At those words Emmett lunged at James, grabbed him around the collar of his shirt and pulled back his arm to hit him. Before he had a chance to connect I had jumped up behind Emmett and managed to hold his arm back, but not before we all fell to the ground. I held on to Emmett, who was now positioned on top of James, and I started to speak, "Emmett what the hell man? Dude, calm down."

Emmett completely ignored me and tightened his hold on James and continued to snarl at him, "You stay the fuck away from her."

He was nose to nose with James while we all continued to wrestle on the ground. Each one of us screamed at each other, I yelled for Emmett to calm down, Emmett screamed at James that he would kill him; James just repeatedly screamed 'she's mine'.

After several minutes of our screams and us on the ground, five of the bouncers in the bar approached us and were finally able to pull Emmett and James apart. After they realized that James and Emmett were not going to calm down the bouncers escorted all three of us outside. I managed to convince the bouncers that I was only trying to stop the fight so they let me go but I stood off to the side and watched the craziness happen around me.

Three of the bouncers tried as hard as they could to hold Emmett back from attacking James again, while two others were doing the same with James. I still had no idea what was going on except the obvious fact Emmett was on a mission to kill James because of _her_, but who they were talking about, I had no idea.

The bouncers were doing nothing to shut them up, they were only preventing any physical attacks, and the guys were still able to scream at each other, while I stood back and tried to figure it out.

"I'm going to kill you James, that's a promise," Emmett screamed at him.

James struggled as hard as he could to get to Emmett, he tried to lunge at him but the bouncers that held onto him were too strong.

"She's mine; you will not take her from me again." His eyes burned with rage and his voice dripped with venom. "I will not to lose her again."

Emmett had somehow managed to drag all three of the bouncers with him as he made his way towards James. One guy was completely behind Emmett with my arms around his neck and under his armpit. The two other guys were on each side of him and held on with everything they had, but even they couldn't completely stop him. Emmett used every bit of his strength, determined to get a hold of James. It was like football, where there was always that one guy running with the ball who just wouldn't go down no matter who jumped on his back. Emmett carried these men slowly on his back as he inched his way towards James.

I saw the determination on his face and for the first time I was truly afraid of Emmett. I had never seen him like that. Cautiously I stood in between them and tried to reach out to Emmett.

"Em, man, chill out. You got to calm down dude." I kept trying to plead with my friend, "Tell me what happened. What did he do?"

Emmett never met my eyes but as he spoke it was obvious he had been listening. As he stared at James he tried to form words.

"He hurt her! He fucking hurt her and I'm going to kill him."

Somehow he found even more strength and managed to move another foot closer towards James.

"She belongs to me! You will not keep us apart!" James tried with all that he had to break free but he couldn't get out of the hold he was in. "I won't let you take her away again, I'll kill you first!"

Both of them tried to get to each other and continued to scream the same things over and over, but they were getting nowhere. In the faint distance I could hear sirens – the bartender must have called the cops. Hopefully before the cops showed up, Emmett would snap out of it. As I turned back to face the guys I was about to tell Emmett to chill before the cops came but I was silenced by James words.

"I love her! She's mine!" Those words seethed out of his mouth.

That was when Emmett went ballistic.

"You'll die before you ever look at her again. She was a child! How could you fucking hurt her. She was innocent, you mother fucker! You could have been with anyone, why'd you go and destroy my sister, she was a fucking child!"

_Sister… Bella_

I snapped my head towards Emmett after I heard those words and instantly my body was in a rage and I saw red.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Em?"

"Bella, Edward… All those fucking times she woke up screaming, it was his fucking face that she saw. It's always been James. He hit, he fucking choked her… he almost raped her," Emmett screamed.

I jerked my head away from Emmett and immediately glared at James, while my mind slowly pieced the conversation together. I replayed James words in my mind 'She's mine', the look on his face when he screamed 'you won't take her from me'. I remembered how terrified Bella was for all those months during her pregnancy, how scared and shaky she was when she woke up from her nightmares and suddenly my body moved on its own.

"You son of a bitch," I yelled through clenched teeth right before my fist repeatedly made contact with James face, and somehow I managed to knock myself, James and the bouncers to the ground. One of the bouncers that were holding Emmett ran over to try and remove me from James. Emmett took the opportunity to break away and proceeded to lunge at James with the intent on killing him. Emmett and me delivered blow for blow to James, neither one of us seemed to hold anything back, all the bouncers in our way trying to break it up couldn't stop us.

Even though James was on his back and in a disadvantage position, he still managed to land punches to both of our faces. Neither Emmett nor myself were fazed by the contact, each of us held on to the burning hatred we had towards what he had done to Bella. All three of us were in our own crazed adrenalin fueled fury; none of us could be stopped.

Blood was everywhere, fists flew, words and threats were being exchanged, and bodies were being flung off one another only to be thrown right back into someone else. The three of us somehow got back on our feet, connected together by handfuls of shirts that were being grabbed and fists that made contact. The bouncers couldn't stop us, the police couldn't stop us, it wasn't until a softly spoken word came out from behind the chaos that every one of us seemed to stop all together to stare at the tiny, visibly shaken girl who stared at us wide eyed.

"Stop," it wasn't a whimper but it was loud enough to get our attention and seize our movements.

"Bella," was said in unison, not just from Emmett and me, but James as well.

Bella froze when she realized James' eyes were focused on her and she began to shake with fear. Her brown eyes widened and she looked directly at her brother.

"Emmett," she squeaked out and reached for him. As Emmett rushed to her side and gathered her in his arms, James made an attempt to go to her as well. I saw James move forward, I quickly grabbed him around his neck and placed him in a choke hold. Since Emmett was over next to Bella there were enough cops and bouncers to separate me and James.

"She's mine!" James screamed at me.

"You stay the fuck away from her," I seethed and tried unsuccessfully to lunge at him.

"Calm down!" One of the officers yelled as he gripped my arms behind my back, and harshly placed handcuffs on my wrists. "Miller, hand cuff the blonde and get him in your car."

James struggled against the officer.

"You will not keep her from me, she's mine and so is Emma!" James shouted at me.

At the mention of Emma's name my blood boiled.

"You will not touch my daughter!" I screamed, and then watched Emmett race towards James and land a punch in the middle of his face, blood squirted everywhere.

"Fuck!" James yelped in pain and doubled over.

"Don't even think about going near my niece," Emmett yelled as three police officers tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him.

"Wallace… get the blonde to the EMT's and then take him to the station." An officer shouted and thrust James towards him. "Bleaker, put these two in your car and Smith…take statements from the bouncers… Now!"

Emmett and I were being led to the squad car when Bella rushed over with tears in her eyes, but before she was able to get to us an officer held her back.

"Ma'am, I need you to stay back."

"But that's my brother," she sobbed and it broke my heart to see her cry. "Why are you arresting him?"

"Bella, honey," Rosalie came up and placed her arms on Bella's shoulders. "It's ok."

"No, it's not… why are they arresting you guys?" Her eyes continued to bounce back and forth between Emmett and me.

"Ma'am, they are being arrested for disorderly conduct. We're going to take them to the station and since they don't have any warrants or priors they should be released right after we book them."

"Bella, love," I tried to calm her. "Let Rosalie take you to the station and wait for us there. We'll be alright, love. I promise."

"OK," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Em."

"Don't, Bella. It's alright… you have nothing to be sorry for, that mother fucker deserved worse."

"I love you, Emmett."

"I love you, too, now go with Rose," he smiled softly. "Rosie, baby, I love you, take care of her."

"Of course," she started to pull Bella behind her. "I am so proud of you, Emmett, I love you."

"I love you, Rosie."

She and Bella walked along side of us to the street when James voice screeched across the parking lot.

"Those fuckers attacked me, ask the bouncers. I want to press charges!"

Bella looked at me with panic in her eyes and started to cry.

"No… no… please, this is all my fault."

"Bella, love, calm down," I soothed her the best I could while being led to a cop car in handcuffs. "We're going to sort this out later. The officer said if we didn't have priors, we'd be released. Everything's going to be alright."

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Don't, love," I said firmly. "I love you, Bella and I would do anything to keep you safe, understand?"

She held my gaze and slowly nodded. "I love you, too, Edward."

I smiled at her one more time before being placed in the back seat next to Emmett. I watched Rosalie and Bella load into the car and sit there, apparently they were going to wait for us to pull out.

I heard a sigh next to me and looked over at Emmett, who barely had any marks on him.

"I hope I broke that fucker's nose," he snarled.

"I'm pretty sure you did, Emmett."

"Fuck, I could kill him for everything he did to her… she was a fucking child… a child, Edward… and that mother fucker damn neared destroyed her."

"Why the hell wouldn't she tell us before," I shook my head slightly. "I don't get it."

"He was fucking controlling her… had her scared shitless. He was fucking abusing her, man… not just physically, he had her convinced he would kill me if she ever left him… Arg!" He screamed and slammed his head against the seat. "She was fucking forced to stay with him because of me… god damn that piece of shit to manipulate her like that."

"No wonder she passed put when she saw him…" I mumbled. "I could kill that mother fucker…" We stopped momentarily as the officer climbed in and said something over the CB before he pulled out to the street.

"What all did Bella tell you?"

"Everything – from the first day on the field when they met, to the last day she saw him. Did you know his name isn't even James?

"What?" I asked and tried to shift to look at him. It was awkward having a conversation, sitting in the back of a cop car with my hands behind my back.

"I guess his real name is Marcus Tucker."

"No shit?" I asked incredulously.

"He was a real fuck up back home and had to change his name."

"So how long were they together?"

"Fuck… that's the kicker. Mother fucker was a smooth talker and had Bella believing his shit from the start. Remember that time in the cafeteria when it looked like they were going to kiss and I freaked out?"

"Yea," I croaked out. My jaw clenched as I was hit with another wave of jealously.

"Well that's when it started. That asshole took her home and I guess they decided to have a secret relationship."

"That was right after she started freshman year."

"I don't know how I didn't see it, it was happening right under my nose," he gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"Don't beat yourself up, Em, I didn't know it either."

"You know he took her virginity on prom night?"

My heart dropped after he said that. My mind reeled back to that night I had been so close to stopping by her house but I chose not to.

It made sense, though.

"That's why he was there with her when you called the next day," I muttered out loud.

"Yep, fucker had a good laugh at that."

"Son of a bitch!" I roared, not really caring that the cop could hear everything. "I'm glad I beat that fucker's ass, I wish I did more."

"I am far from done," Emmett growled. "Not only was he fucking hurting my little sister physically but he had been cheating on her for awhile with Victoria."

"I forgot about that… No wonder she was so fucking upset when she saw them in the bathroom. That bastard! I could fucking kill him right now."

"I know, Edward. Trust me – I know. She broke it off with him that night and the fucker went stalker on her ass. Followed her around town, watched her at school, he even broke in our house to get to her."

"I feel like such a dumbass, Em," I muttered quietly. He looked at me and waited for me to finish. "She called me one night when you were out of town, said she was spooked to be alone and I had her come over. But right before she called James had shown up out of the blue and I remember him watching me with this – this look in his eyes, as I was talking to her. It was like he knew she was spooked. Now that I think back to her face when she saw him, dammit I should have known something was up. She was fucking terrified, Em, she was fucking scared because of him, she even took off before I woke up." I slammed my head on the back of the seat roughly.

"It's not your fault, man. We just have to do everything we can to keep him away from her."

"Emmett, man," my voice cracked.

"I know how you feel… I feel it too… she's my baby sister and that asshole almost destroyed her. You remember that night when Ryan called us and told us to get Bella?"

I shook my head yes.

"James had saw them together in Port Angeles and beat the shit out of Ryan, then took Bella back to the house where he almost raped her," Emmett seethed. "We fucking showed up in time to stop him. That bastard was hiding in her bathroom when I asked her what was wrong. She said she wanted to tell me but he threatened to kill me if she did."

"Fuck, Em… Now he knows where you guys live." My head snapped up and I quickly looked over at him. "Fuck he knows about Emma… shit… no wonder Bella was so scared when she saw him. I swear to god if that mother fucker tries to do anything to Emma…" I was interrupted before I could finish my thought.

"You're Emmett Swan?" The officer asked him. "The Emmett Swan?"

Emmett nodded his head and looked at him. "Yeah… didn't you run my name already?"

"No that was the Sergeant. Hell man, sucks I had to meet you this way."

"No kidding," he snorted.

"Heard you were offered a deal with the Seahawks," as he finished his sentenced he reached behind him and held up a note against the glass.

_Don't talk about James_

Emmett and I looked at each other and then back to the cop who had removed the note and started talking about the deal. We made conversation with him until we pulled up to the station and he helped us out of the car. As he grabbed both our arms, he reached down on his radio and turned it off.

"We were being recorded in the car and I needed to stop you from making any more threats towards that guy." He was talking quietly and Emmett and I exchanged looks before we glanced over the cop. "This is a small fucking world let me tell you," he chuckled softly.

"Jerry Larsen is my cousin. He was one of the cops in Port Angeles that arrested one Marcus Tucker two years ago. Your sister called his probation officer and helped her locate him, did a whole set-up and everything. Jerry said, Tucker was going crazy trying to get to this girl, took almost six cops to hold him back from her. When all your guys' names were run over the system I recognized his immediately and checked to see if there were any warrants or anything we could hold him on to give you guys time."

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked.

"He's pressing charges, and because of all the bouncers that witnessed it, you two are being blamed for initiating the fight. Unfortunately there was nothing in the system that we could hold him on, when they revoked his parole that's all they did. They never booked him on new charges so all he did was sit out his parole and since he wasn't the instigator in this fight, we were told to let him go after the EMT's looked at him."

"What?" we both screamed.

"Listen if it was my sister I would have done the same thing, I don't fault you for that, but the law says you can't take matters into your own hands."He stopped walking us and turned us around to face him. "I shouldn't even be telling you this but look, I was listening to the stuff you guys were saying in the car about your sisters situation, and the only way we'd be able to press any charges on him would be if she did it. But it won't be that simple either, she'd have to prove everything she said and it would be a long process before anything actually happened to him, if she could even prove it. We couldn't even book him for statutory rape because Washington law for age of consent is sixteen. "

"Mother fucker," Emmett growled.

"If it was me I wouldn't let me sister out of my site, and the next time he does anything make sure she calls the cops. I looked up this guy's record and believe me, he's no small time criminal. He's dangerous."

"So what happens now, since he's pressing charges on us?" I asked before we started walking again.

"It's a small misdemeanor, you're being booked for disorderly conduct and then assault four, but you can plea it down to just the disorderly and get fined. Because he's pressing charges you're not going to be able to be released like I thought, but you can make bail."

"Good, with that asshole on the street someone needs to be around to protect my sister and my niece."

"Is he the father?" He asked suddenly.

"Yea, it seems that way," Emmett sighed.

"Has paternity ever been established?"

"What are you getting at?" I asked incredibly curious.

"Without paternity being established – no signing of the birth certificate, DNA test, statement from the mom – he has no rights to the child."

It felt as if a truck was lifted from my shoulders and both Emmett and I both let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank god!" We both exclaimed.

"So as long as she doesn't say it and she doesn't do a DNA test, James can't take Emma?" I asked hopefully.

"No, and if he does we can arrest him for kidnapping. Your sister never has to disclose the father's identity. I'm sorry I can't do anything about those charges but I'll try to get you booked and help you post bail as soon as possible."

"You've fucking helped us a lot… thank you," Emmett shook his head gratefully at Officer Bleaker.

"Just remember me when you go pro," he joked and we all laughed as we walked into the police station.

True to his words he had us booked with-in ten minutes and Rosalie quickly bailed us out. We were in there for maybe forty-five minutes.

As we were buzzed through the glass doors I saw Bella run and jump into Emmett's arms with tears in her eyes. My heart ached for her even more now that I knew what she had gone through. And if I knew Bella at all she was blaming her all of this on herself and I know it killed her to see us arrested.

"Belly, it's alright," Emmett tried to comfort her. "Listen I'm not going to go to jail, they're only going to give me a fine."

"Really?" She sobbed into his neck.

"Really and I don't regret it at all. I only wished you would have told me sooner so I could have stopped him from hurting you."

"I'm sorry, Emmett."

"It's alright, where's M&M?" He asked her as he sat her back down.

"She's still with Esme," Rosalie said and wrapped her arms around Emmett.

I watched Bella as she lifted her head and made eye contact with me. I took a step closer, not quite sure what to do. I wanted to grab her and kiss her and never let her go, but after everything that happened I wasn't sure what Emmett would say. I wasn't able to think about much as Bella rapidly jumped into my arms and molded her lips against mine.

My arms quickly went around her waist to hold her up against me and I kissed her back, not bothered in the slightest if anyone watched us. My mouth easily moved with hers, our tongues fighting against each other as we deepened our kiss. I loved her and I wanted everyone to know I loved her. She was my life, I would do anything for her.

"I love you," she said into our kiss and my grip on her tightened.

"I love you," I repeated back to her and captured her mouth with mine.

"For fucks sakes, you two, we're in a police station," Emmett's booming voice broke our kiss and I nervously looked over, afraid he might be upset by my declaration. Instead I was met with the goofy grin and wink.

"It's about time, but I agree with Emmett, we're in a police station." Rosalie smiled at me and Bella and then turned to head out the doors.

I glanced down at Bella and smiled as she wrapped her arms around the crook of mine, then looked back at Emmett.

"You're seriously cool, Em?" I was still a little shocked he seemed to be unfazed by our actions.

"I've known for awhile, we all have. We were just waiting on you two to figure it out," he laughed and we walked outside.

"I really love her Em, and I'd never hurt her or Emma." I wasn't sure if I was saying it to Emmett or Bella but I knew it was the truth.

"I know," they both said back to me.

"And I'll take care of you, Bella. You and Emma, I'll keep you both safe," I promised her, and then looked up and made eye contact with Emmett. "I promise, Em."

"I know… the fact that I didn't knock you out when you called Emma your daughter should tell you I trust you with them," he smirked and got in the front seat.

My eyes shot up in surprise and question, and I looked over at Bella who smiled back at me. Her cheeks turning a slight pink and she nodded her head.

"Really?" I asked when we sat in the car. Bella quickly moved to the middle and leaned against me as we drove away.

"I wasn't even aware I had said that," I mumbled and kissed the top of Bella's head.

"Yea, I wasn't surprised though," Emmett added. "James said something about Emma and you told him to stay away from your daughter."

"Well, he fucking better."My hands tightened around Bella and placed a rough kiss against her head.

"What are we going to do? I'm so scared that he'll do something to her to get to me," Bella's voice was so tiny and scared as she talked to us. "He'll hurt her, I know he will."

Before I could say anything Emmett yelled from the front seat.

"I won't let that happen, sis. And neither will Edward. Don't be afraid of that asshole!"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm just so scared, he knows about her now."

"Listen to me, love," I took both her hands in mine. "I won't let him hurt her. You have to trust me. He has no right to her, what so ever."

"But –" I cut her off with a kiss.

"As long as his name is nowhere affiliated with her, there is no proof that she's his, and as far as I'm concerned she isn't… she's mine."

"So, legally he has no rights her?" Rosalie asked and Emmett quickly answered as Bella and I continued to stare at each other.

"Officer Bleaker told us that as long as his name wasn't on the birth certificate or no DNA test was done, James has no claim to her."

"A name on a birth certificate is paternity?" I heard her ask and suddenly I was hit with an overwhelming sense of relief.

"So we can change her name if we wanted to and further ensure her safety," I mused out loud.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked never looking away from me.

"Change her name… make her a Cullen," I held her gaze and watched her face light up.

"What?" Her voice shook but there was a huge smile on her face.

"I want her to have my name." I brought my hands up to cup her face, and kissed her long and hard. I didn't stop kissing her until we were both out of breathe. I rested my forehead against hers and waited until she opened her eyes.

When she did I pulled back slightly and took both her hands in mine again.

"I want you both to have my name."

Her beautiful eyes swam with unshed tears and flickered back and forth between mine.

Silence filled the car as she waited for me to speak.

"What are you saying, Edward?"

"Marry me, Bella."

* * *

**A/N: Can you say cliffy?....**

**Hope you liked it... **

**I know it may seem bizarre but they have**

**been in love for a long time, so it's not too far fetched. **

**Let me know what you think. **


	21. Chapter 21

**************Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer.

**A/N: I'm glad you liked last chapter. It was a tiny bit of a shocker...lol...**

**We're back to BPOV, but I will say that there will definitely be more EPOV in the future. **

**Thanks to all who are reading! And a double thanks to those who left reviews. **

**Love them all and I try to respond to all of them. **

**Hope you enjoy the next chapter. **

* * *

**BPOV**

Rose and I made it to the station and anxiously sat in the hard plastic chairs as we waited for our guys. I could not believe they both were arrested because of James, after everything he had ever done to me, my guys get arrested.

She tried to comfort me the best she could but it was hard to calm down. My knee bounced uncontrollably as I sat next to Rosalie, and mentally went over everything that had happened.

James had found me, he knew where I lived, but worse – he knew about Emma. And I wasn't sure what to do about it. There was no way I wanted Emmett and Edward to beat him up all the time, there had to be another way to keep James away from us.

I was so scared as I watched my boys being led to the cop car with handcuffs on. It broke my heart knowing that it had been all because of me. They beat him up because of me and now they were in jail.

"I should never have told Emmett," I muttered softly.

I felt Rosalie wrap her arms around my shoulders and pull me to her.

"Yes, you should have, Bella," she started to rub her hands up and down my arm. "You did the right thing, _DO NOT_ think this is your fault. That asshole had this coming to him the moment he ever put his hands on you like that."

"But, I mean… if I just would have stayed away from him none of this would ever have happened."

"No," she pulled back so we were at eye level. "You fell in love; no one can fault you for that. You trusted him and he used that as a way to manipulate you. Emmett isn't mad about your relationship, he's pissed that James had been hurting you. That's why he is so upset, and rightfully so, Bella." She pulled a tissue from her purse and handed it to me.

"Thank you," I said softly and wiped my face. "I just feel so bad, Rosalie… I mean, James is pressing charges, what if the judge keeps them both in jail, Rose? Neither one of them have ever been to jail."

"Don't worry about those two; I highly doubt they will get in serious trouble." Her hands began to smooth some of my hair. "Hell. Drunken bar fights happen a lot on campus and no one stays in longer than a weekend."

"A weekend?" I couldn't help but screech. "What if James comes after me or Emma?" I started to panic as I thought about what he might do.

"Calm down, Bella. We'll bail them out and James isn't going to get anywhere near you or Emma, trust me."

"How can you be so sure…. You saw how crazy he was and the things he was screaming." I looked at her frantically. "He always told me he'd find me… I was his – that nothing could keep us apart. You heard the things he did to me and not to mention what he did to Ryan… oh my god… he was so mad, he's going to get to me and hurt me, I know he is…. I can't let him hurt Emma, I can't Rose; I have to keep her away from him."

"Stop for a minute, Bella," she said firmly. I was on the verge of hyperventilating and she knew it. "Just breathe, honey." I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply a few times. "I know how scared you are… but you need to believe me, he will never get anywhere near Emma or you. _He_ may have been mad, but did you not see your brother. Emmett is on full brother bear alert – what they did to James today, Bella… is nothing compared to what will happen if he even thinks about coming for you or Emma."

I exhaled a shaky breathe and nodded my head, because I knew it was true. As scared as I was with James, I knew my brother and he wasn't offered a contract to play NFL for being weak. He was fully capable of keeping Emma safe, but I still couldn't stop being afraid of James. He had instilled it into me a long time ago.

"Can I ask you something?" Rosalie said quietly.

"Of course."

"Well, it's more like a request, really." She shifted in her seat so we were facing each other. "If, by some chance James ends up threatening you again, you need to promise us you will tell us. Your brother can't protect you or Emma if he you keep him in the dark about things. Just, promise you'll tell one of us, no matter how trivial the conversation, OK?"

"I promise," I hugged her tightly. "It was different when it was only me he was after, but now that he knows about my daughter, I'm never keeping anything from Emmett again."

"Good." She hugged me back then pulled away. "Emmett isn't the only one that's here to protect you. Edward would die for you or Emma, he loves you guys so much, there's no way he'd let anyone hurt you."

Hearing her say that out loud made me smile, because I knew it was true. I knew without a doubt that Edward would do all that he could to protect us.

"Along with Edward and Emmett there's Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, me and Alice – you're not alone, Bella. We all will make sure he won't get anywhere near her."

"Thank you, Rose." As we both sat back against our chairs we heard the loud buzz of the glass doors being unlocked.

As soon as I saw my brothers' head come around the corner I ran and jumped in his arms.

"I love you, Emmett," I choked out. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

"Belly, it's alright," Emmett tried to reassure me. "Listen I'm not going to go to jail, they're only going to give me a fine."

"Really?" I asked through my tears.

"Really," he hummed into my ear. "And I don't regret it at all. I only wished you would have told me sooner so I could have stopped him from hurting you."

"I'm sorry, Emmett."

"It's alright," he squeezed me tightly and let me down. "Where's M&M?"

"She's still with Esme," Rosalie said as she walked up to us and hugged Emmett. He wrapped her in his arms and started to kiss her and I looked away, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

As I turned my head my eyes locked onto Edwards and my stomach went into overdrive. I felt the heat of my flush hit my cheeks as my body involuntarily reacted from just a simple look. His eyes were full of love as he stared back at me, but I could tell he was a little unsure as he started to walk toward me. I didn't want him to second guess anything, I didn't care if anyone knew about my feelings for him, I loved him and he loved me. I refused to hide it any longer and I quickly ran and jumped into his arms, my lips attaching themselves to his mouth.

His arms swiftly wrapped around my waist and held my body effortlessly against his while we kissed. Our mouths easily moved together, my tongue eagerly fighting against his as we deepened our kiss. It felt right – we felt right and I never wanted to let him go.

"I love you," I spoke into our kiss and his grip on me tightened.

"I love you," his warm voice repeated before he slammed his mouth back onto mine. His lips were warm and impatient as we continued to attack each other's mouths. I wanted to stay wrapped in his arms forever, he made me feel safe and loved, but not a second later our little bubble burst.

"For fucks sakes, you two, we're in a police station," Emmett's booming voice forced us to break apart. I had been so wrapped in our kiss I wasn't paying attention to anything around us and I felt my cheeks heat up as I started to get embarrassed for our little PDA.

"It's about time," Rosalie snorted as I looked over. "But I agree with Emmett, we're in a police station." I quickly looked back at Edward and he lowered his head for one last peck before I wrapped my arms around his and we walked outside.

"You're seriously cool, Em?" I heard Edward ask as we approached the car. I looked over at my brother and was immediately relieved with the expression on his face.

"I've known for awhile," he said matter-of-fact. "We all have, we were just waiting on you two to figure it out," he laughed.

"I really love her Em," I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or Emmett because his eyes kept bouncing between us. "And I'd never hurt her or Emma."

"I know," Emmett and I both said.

Edward turned to face me as I was getting in the car.

"And I'll take care of you, Bella. You and Emma, I'll keep you both safe," he held my gaze and I smile, then he looked at my brother. "I promise, Em."

"I know… the fact that I didn't knock you out when you called Emma your daughter should tell you I trust you with them," he smirked and climbed in the front.

His eyes shot up in surprise and he looked over at me. I smiled shyly and felt my face start to heat up as I thought about him referring to Emma as his own. I loved it.

"Really?" He looked over, still a little surprised that he had said it.

I nodded again and moved to the middle of the seat so I could lean against him. I wanted to be as close to him as possible.

"I wasn't even aware I had said that," he wrapped his arms around me and mumbled as he kissed the top of my head.

"Yea, I wasn't surprised though," Emmett added. "James said something about Emma and you told him to stay away from your daughter."

"Well, he fucking better." I felt Edward's hands tighten their hold and he placed a rough kiss against my head. I felt safe in his arms but I couldn't help but worry about James being out there and knowing about Emma.

"What are we going to do? I'm so scared that he'll do something to her to get to me," I voiced and held onto Edward. "He'll hurt her, I know he will."

I felt Edward still underneath me but it was Emmett's voice that made me jump.

"I won't let that happen, sis. And neither will Edward. Don't be afraid of that asshole!" Emmett held my gaze and I slowly nodded my head in agreement. I knew he would protect us, but James was dangerous and I was still very much afraid of what he might do.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I'm just so scared," I looked down at my fingers that started to twist the hem of my shirt. "He knows about her now."

"Listen to me, love," Edward took both of my hands in his and brought them up to my face, he used his pointer finger to tip my head up so I could make eye contact. "I won't let him hurt her. You have to trust me. He has no right to her, what so ever."

"But –" I went to remind him that James was her father, but he quickly stopped me with a kiss.

"As long as his name is nowhere affiliated with her, there is no proof that she's his," his eyes never left mine, "and as far as I'm concerned, she isn't… she's mine."

"So, legally he has no rights her?" I heard Rosalie ask and my brother quickly answered her.

"Officer Bleaker told us that as long as his name wasn't on the birth certificate or no DNA test was done, James has no claim to her."

"A name on a birth certificate is paternity?" I asked and watched something flicker behind Edwards' eyes before he smiled.

"So we can change her name if we wanted to and further ensure her safety," he said as if he was thinking out loud.

"What do you mean?" I asked still holding his gaze.

"Change her name," he said and I furrowed my brow. "Make her a Cullen," my insides were doing a happy dance and a smile was plastered on my face.

"What?" My voice shook as I stared at him.

"I want her to have my name," his voice was solid; his warms hands cupped my face and his lips found mine. His kiss was filled with so much passion by the time we broke apart I was struggling for breathe. We rested our foreheads against each others and it took me a few minutes before I opened my eyes.

I stared into his face, slightly taken back by the amount of love I saw. He grabbed both my hands again and placed small kisses on my knuckles.

"I want you both to have my name," his husky voice said.

Tears pricked my eyes and a deaf Silence filled the car as I sat and stared, waiting for him to speak, but he sat there silent. He could only want us to just change our names to keep us safe. I didn't want to get my hopes up by misconstrue the situation and chose to ask him to clarify.

"What are you saying, Edward?" I asked nervously, almost afraid of what he might say. My eyes bounced back and forth between his while I waited for him to speak. After what felt like hours a small smile appeared on his face and his eyes glazed over.

"Marry me, Bella."

I was literally speechless. I sat there and stared into his eyes as I tried to process what he just asked me.

"Are you serious, Edward?" Emmett asked from the front.

Edward didn't bother to answer my brother, instead he addressed me.

"I've always loved you, Bella – always. We've been a part of each other's lives since we were born. I've never felt for anyone the way I feel for you." His hand reached up and wiped away the tear that rolled down my cheek. "I've been _in_ love with you for awhile and I cannot picture my life without you or Emma in it. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, make babies with you, grow old with you. Let me take care of you, Bella… let me keep you safe. I love you, I always will… please, say you'll marry me, Bella. Be my wife."

I didn't know what to say. He had seriously rendered me speechless.

To hear him say those things to me was completely overwhelming and I wasn't able to control my emotions, tears poured from my eyes and rushed down my face. I vaguely heard my brother whisper "holy shit", before I launched myself onto Edward and glued my lips to his. I felt his arms wrap tightly around my waist, bringing our bodies close together. My hands immediately flew to the back of his head and I tried to push him further into me.

I kissed him until I couldn't breathe – until my fingers ached from being knotted in his hair, my lips numb from the amount of pressure I used as I tried to mold us together. I kissed him with everything I had in me. We reluctantly pulled away but held each other's gazes, while our chests heaved violently as our bodies tried to suck in oxygen.

I tenderly traced the lines on his face with my fingers, my thumbs lightly touching his lips before I leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on them. "I love you, Edward."

I pulled back and smiled a toothy smile, my hands never leaving his face.

"I love you with everything that I am, and I cannot wait to be your wife," I stated and watched as his face lit up. "Yes, Edward, yes – I will marry you." His hands came up and gently removed mine from his face only to be placed in his, while he leaned in and kissed me.

"Holy shit!" Emmett bellowed.

"You already said that, Em," I teased as I pulled my lips away from Edwards and turned to face my brother.

"I did _not_ see that coming!" He wore a shocked expression and then smiled big. "Is that what you were going to talk to me about tonight? That you were interested in my sister?" Emmett looked at Edward.

"Yeah," Edward shrugged and placed a kiss against my temple. "I was definitely going to let you know I loved her and wanted to be with her."

I wrapped my arms around him and leaned my head against his chest. I was relieved to hear him say that his declaration had nothing to do with the James situation. Well, maybe in a way it kind of sped it up, but it didn't alter our feelings for each other. He loved me, I loved him, and now we were going to be a family. Butterflies filled my stomach with thoughts of being with Edward, no more fantasizing, it would finally be a reality and I couldn't wait.

We rode back to the house, wrapped around each other while he and my brother talked about keeping us safe. A security system was going to be installed, along with dowels being placed in the windows and motion lights on the back porch. Rosalie knew someone who could help us out and they were going to come over tomorrow and talk it over with Emmett.

I didn't have to go to school, which was a relief to everyone, so there would be no reason I would be alone. Emma would sleep in mine or Emmett's room at all times, and never be in a different room even for her naps. I hated that James was going to affect us all so much, but at least we would know for sure she was safe.

We pulled up to the house and parked behind Jasper's truck but we couldn't see them anywhere.

"Did you call Jasper," I asked Edward as he helped me out of the car.

"No, I didn't even think to call him," he enlaced our fingers together and we started to walk up to the house.

"Did you call Alice?" I looked over my shoulder at Rosalie and she shook her head. "I am really not looking forward to repeating this story again," I sighed and leaned against Edward.

"We'll tell them together, sis," Emmett said and lightly squeezed my shoulder. "We'll tell everyone together."

"Thank you, brother," I smiled gratefully. As we reached the front steps we heard laughing coming from the back and figured it was Alice and Jasper. "I'm going to go get something for us to drink, why don't you guys go and start filling them in on what's happened today." I turned to look at Rosalie and Emmett.

"I'll help you," Edward said and started to unlock the front door.

"What do you want me to say, sis?"

"Just the short version I guess, kind of explain what happened today. I'll fill Alice in on the whole story later."

"OK, I'll see you in a minute."

Edward and I walked inside and went to the kitchen. There wasn't anything with alcohol in the house, so we were left to drink Snapple.

"Are you ready for this, love?" Edward asked as I started to grab some Snapple's out of the fridge. The kitchen was silent except for the humming of the refrigerator; I didn't answer him right away because I honestly wasn't ready for him to hear the entire story. Some stuff from my time with James, I wished he would never hear about, but I knew he wanted to know everything.

"Bella," he said softly, when I still hadn't answered him.

His hands reached out and took the juices from my shaky fingers, setting them on the table next to us. I shut the fridge and his fingers lightly touched my chin, indicating he wanted me to look up. "Talk to me, love."

I sighed and held his stare, I loved him so much, it would kill me if my past kept us from being happy.

"Honestly, Edward… there's a lot of things that you're going to hear that you're not going to like. And I hate that it's going to hurt you… just remember that it was a long time ago and I love you… only you… and pretty soon I'll be your wife, I mean if you still want to marry me after what you're going to hear." I looked away after I said that, I suddenly felt… dirty… when I thought of all the things I was going to have to tell him about me and James.

Suddenly my body was lifted from the ground and placed on the counter. I wrapped my arms around Edward's neck when his mouth quickly attacked mine. My arms tightened their hold when I felt his hands slide down my back, he roughly grab my ass and pulled my body hard against his. I moaned into his mouth, fisted my hands into his hair and held his face to my own.

He kissed me hard and only pulled back when he sensed I was out of breath, but his lips never left my body. He reined kisses across my face and down the side of my neck, stopping at my collar bone. I couldn't help the groan that came out of me, Edward was igniting a fire inside of me and I wasn't sure if I'd make it out of the kitchen alive. It had been two years since anyone had touched me this way, and even then James never had this strong of an effect on me.

"Nothing you say will change how I feel about you, Bella," his warm breath tickled my skin. "We're going to be married and live together and raise Emma together…."

"I love you, Edward," I half moaned have squeaked when his tongue began to trace the veins in my neck.

"I can't wait to make you both a Cullen, I want to get married as soon as possible, Bella," he told me as he kissed along my jaw. "I don't want a long engagement, you're it for me."

"OK," I moaned as his teeth lightly nipped my chin. "Can we at least wait until after graduation?"

"Yes," his lips moved to below my ear. "We can plan it for that weekend."

"OK," I moaned.

"We can buy a house tomorrow if you want," his husky voice sent a chill down my spine.

"Really?" I whimpered as his lips continued their assault on my neck.

"Yes," he groaned and slammed his mouth to mine. I couldn't help but whimper when he pulled away and left me panting. "We better get out there, love," his lips brushed softly against mine before he helped me off the counter.

Edward helped me carry our drinks outside and I was glad I only held two, because they dropped and shattered the minute a crying pixie launched her tiny body into my arms.

"I'm so sorry, Bella…. I should have known… I was your best friend and I never saw anything. I was too wrapped around my own stuff," she sobbed into my arms, which created my own tears.

"Don't blame yourself, please, Alice… I can't take it. This is all me, I should have told you guys."

We held onto each other both of us apologizing profusely to one another as we cried, and soon Rose was wrapped around us as well.

"You tramps are ruining my make-up," each of us laughed through our tears. When we calmed down we all turned to go sit down next to our men. Before I made it to Edward, Jasper swiftly walked up to me and wrapped me in a bone crushing hug, but said nothing.

He didn't have to; I knew what it was that he was thinking.

"It's not your fault, Jasper," my voice muffled from my face being buried in his chest as I hugged him back. "It's not your fault."

His grip on me didn't loosen and it wasn't until his shoulders began to shake that I realized he was crying.

"Oh my gosh, Japer… don't… please. I don't blame you – I never did," I tried to reassure him as my own body racked with sobs.

"But he was _my_ friend, Bella," he choked out. "I freaking brought him into your lives… how can you not hate me? I am so sorry, Bella."

"Jasper, stop – please," I cried. "Did you know James was like that? That he was capable of hurting me like that?"

He stiffened and pulled back to look at me, setting me down but not removing his arms from around me.

"No, god no – of course not."

"Well, then how can you blame yourself," I reached up and wiped the tears from his face, "Because I don't blame you."

Jasper pulled me back into him for another hug and sighed into my hair.

"I just feel like I should have seen it, like I failed you because I didn't see it."

"You're not the only one that feels that way," Emmett added mournfully.

Jasper pulled back to look at me, his eyes sad and full of regret, it broke my heart to see how this was affecting everyone.

"I am sorry, Bella."

"I know… and I am too… for not telling you guys when it was happening."

We both walked over and sat back with the group. Edward wrapped his arms tightly around me and pulled my back against his chest.

"I guess they filled you in on most of it but if you wouldn't mind… can we wait for me to tell the whole story when Esme and Carlisle get back tomorrow. I really don't want to repeat it and since I have to tell them too, I would rather just do it once. If that's alright with everyone." I looked up and saw everyone nod their heads and agree with me.

"Gary said he could be here tomorrow at nine to talk over the different systems he can install," Rosalie offered.

"He knows money isn't an option, right?" Emmett looked at her. "I don't care what he charges… but I want the best!"

"He knows, baby," she reached over and kissed him.

"Bella," Emmett looked over to me. "I want to talk to you about Rosalie moving in with us." My face lit up and my eyes bounced between the two of them. "We were going to wait until spring term was finished but, I feel with all this shit that's going on, one more person watching over you and M&M can't hurt."

"Hell yes I want her to move in," I beamed and looked at Rosalie, who smiled back. "I've been waiting for that to happen, it just sucks I'll only get to enjoy it for a little awhile."

"What do you mean?" Emmett said slowly when he looked over at me.

I looked at Edward real fast, afraid that maybe I shouldn't have said anything so soon, but he just smiled and motioned for me to tell them.

I smiled and turned back to Emmett.

"Well… with Edward and I getting married, we're kind of going to look for our own house."

"Married?" Jasper and Alice barked.

I sheepishly looked at Edward and smiled before I turned back to them.

"Yeah… umm, he asked and I said yes," I shrugged and leaned back against Edward.

"I knew it!" Alice squealed and clapped her hands. "Didn't I tell you, Jazz… I knew they were going to be together."

Jasper shook his head and smiled as Alice continued to gloat from her seat across from us.

We stayed on the patio until it started to get dark and Emmett suggested we go to out to dinner. I thought it was a great idea, because I seriously was not in the mood to cook.

"I need to run upstairs and grab my jacket."

"Do you still have my sweater here, Bella? I didn't bring one with me," Alice asked as us girls got up from their laps so the guys could stand.

"Yeah, it's in my closet."

I walked towards the house, everyone followed, but then stopped short when I noticed the front door opened. Alice lightly bumped into me and looked at me confused.

"Edward?" I asked shakily because I knew the answer to my question. "Did you leave the front door open?"

"No, why would – " before he could finish his thought, Emmett had me tucked under his arm and pushed me towards Rosalie.

"Keep her out here," he hissed and all three guys took off in the house. Alice and Rosalie both had their arms around me but it couldn't stop me from shaking.

We stood right outside the doorway as the guys started to search for James. I didn't need to see him to know it was him, we all knew, and the way my brother took off in search for him, had me praying to god that they didn't find him.

"I hope he's not here," my voice shook.

"If he's here we can get him arrested for breaking and entering. Why would you say that?" Rosalie asked.

"Emmett will kill him if he finds him, Rose… we have to get in there to stop him… please I can't have my brother get in trouble again because of him." My thoughts started to cause me to panic and I struggled against their holds. "I need to get in there, please," I begged but they were not going to allow it.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Jasper came out to us and said they didn't find him. I released the breath I had been holding and pushed past him to go find Emmett and Edward.

I heard my brother talking on the phone and I followed his voice to my bedroom. Both he and Edward were standing in front of my bed, Emmett pacing while he held the phone to his ear – obviously talking to the cops, and Edward looking at my bed while his fingers gripped and pulled at his hair.

I walked over to stand next to him and gasped as I saw what he was looking at.

"Don't worry, love, we'll get new ones," Edward promised and placed and arm around my waist. I unconsciously shrugged his arm away as I sat down on the bed and hesitantly reached for the pieces that were scattered along my comforter.

In the back of my mind I knew they could be replaced, I knew for a fact that Edward had copies next to his own bed, but it still didn't stop the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I looked at the torn pieces of what had been such an intimate moment for Edward and me.

With shaky fingers, I began to piece back the one picture that held the biggest place in my heart.

It was the day of my belly shots, Esme had instructed us to stand a certain way but in that particular shot, Edward and I weren't even posing, we had been laughing at something my brother had said. Both my hands rested on top of Edward's, which were wrapped around my belly protectively. I was looking up at Edward, who was looking down at me; both of us wore matching smiles. He had a certain light in his eyes and softness in his smile that made it appear as if he was looking at the most precious thing in the world.

I loved that picture, I loved that moment… I had loved it so much I wasn't able to keep the tears from pouring out of eyes as I tried to piece it back together.

"Bella, love… mom still has the negatives, we'll get new ones printed and framed, baby," Edward soothed and sat next to me.

Both our fingers shifted through the pile and began to piece them all back together, but something wasn't right. There should have been more in the pile. That portfolio that Esme had given me held seven photos, and as I sorted through the mess on my bed I realized which two had not been torn and were not part of the pile.

"Edward," I looked up to meet his eyes. "There's two missing."

"What do you mean?" he started to sort faster and I sifted through them as well, to double-check once again.

"The ones with me by myself… they're not here," I whispered and jerked my head back up. "Oh my god, Edward, he has them… he took them."

His face hardened immediately and his eyes darkened.

"Mother fucker!"

I felt tears prick my eyes.

"What if he took something else?" I asked through shaky breathes.

As soon as the words left my mouth both of us jumped from the bed, our eyes began searching around my room for any sign of something else missing.

He noticed before I did, and his heavy breathing made me look up at him and then slowly I followed his gaze. My panic rose when I realized the missing picture frame from my dresser.

"Emmett!" I yelled and ran to her room.

_What else did he take?_

I heard the heavy footsteps of people following me as I entered Emma's room. My eyes searched frantically for anything that might have been out of place and then I fell to my knees in front of her dresser.

"No!" I sobbed as I picked through the broken glass of the picture frame and reached for the torn pieces of her face. "Why would he rip her up?"

But I knew, because I knew who was holding her in that picture.

Emmett knelt next to me and brushed some glass off a few pieces.

"Why would he rip up her face though, Em?" I cried as my fingers tried to put her face back together. "Why not just tear up Edward's, I mean James obviously knows she's his child… but looking at how many piece are here, it's like he doesn't want her… like he –," my eyes snapped to his, "Like he hates her, Em…. Oh my god… he hates her… he's going to hurt her, Emmett… he's going to hurt her to get to me!" I screamed as tears rushed down my face.

"Bella, calm down… I won't let him hurt her," Emmett grabbed a hold of my upper arms and tried to keep me still. "She's safe."

I pushed his arms away and stood up. "No! I need my daughter, right now! I want my daughter. Call Esme and tell her I'm coming to get her, tell her to have her ready, find out what hotel they're staying at and tell them I'll be there in a minute."

I jumped and started to through random clothes in a suitcase for her. I grabbed anything I could find and stuffed in, toys, blankets, clothes, pictures. I loaded the suitcase as tight as I could.

"Where are you going, Bella?" Emmett asked when I set the suitcase on the ground.

"I'm going to get my daughter and spend one last night with her," tears streamed down my face as I grabbed her jacket from her closet.

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked with worried eyes, as he stepped closer.

I wiped my face and looked at Emmett.

"You are going to take her away from here, Emmett," I kept going when he tried to interrupt. "I want you to go as far as you can and don't come back. I am the one that he wants, and I refuse to let her get hurt because of it."

"Bella," both Edward and Emmett tried to say.

"I'm serious. You keep her safe, away from here… dammit Emmett, you keep her safe," I pleaded.

"Bella, I'm going to keep her safe… you and her, I'm not taking her anywhere. You're her mother-,"

"I know!" I screamed and picked up the suitcase and pushed it into his chest. "And I'm going to keep her safe… which means she needs to be far away from me, even though it fucking kills me." Tears continued to fall down my face but I was far from caring.

"Bella, I won't do it," his voice cracked and he pushed the suitcase back at me.

"Look at what he did to her pictures, Emmett… what do you think he'll do when he gets her? He's going to fucking hurt her… he'll hurt her to get to me."

"We won't let him, love," Edward came up behind me and tried to soothingly rub my arms. "He won't get to her."

"I'm not going to take that chance," I sobbed and dropped the suitcase. "I love her too much."

"We all love her, Belly," Emmett said calmly. "We won't let him get to her."

I sighed, more in frustration than anything and leaned back into Edward.

"We're all here and we'll all keep her safe, love."

I held onto Edward while I tried to calm my tears. My body was burnt out from such an emotional day; I was ready for it to end.

Rosalie and Emmett picked up the mess in front of her dresser, while Edward held me tight.

"Umm, Emmett… can you come here for a minute," Jasper asked hesitantly from the doorway, clearly avoiding my eyes.

"Jasper?" I questioned but he just hung his head.

I watched my brother walk out into the hallway with him and then heard my brother's not so quiet voice.

"Sick, twisted mother fucker!"

I quickly looked at Edward and then went to find out what was going on. They were back in my room standing next to my window, holding a piece of paper.

"What is it, Emmett?"

Both their heads shot up in my direction, but they said nothing.

"Emmett?" I pressed but he looked away and mumbled a quiet "shit".

I walked over realizing neither one wanted to tell me, so I reached for the paper and immediately wished I hadn't.

In James' handwriting was a note with a picture taped below it.

"_I was your first, Angel… and I will be your last.  
If he touches you again, him and his daughter are both dead."_

Underneath was a picture of Edward and I kissing at the police station. It didn't appear to be from surveillance video, which meant that it had to have come from a camera, which meant James had been there.

"Did you call Officer Bleaker, Emmett?" Edward asked after he read the note.

"Yeah, he told us he'll come to take a statement but without witnesses there's no way to prove it was him, especially since he has a strong alibi by being with the EMT's and at the police station all day," my brother said, clearly frustrated. "He's not going to touch her, sis… I swear to god… he won't fucking touch her."

"Don't let him scare you anymore, love," he stepped over and grabbed my hands. "You're going to get the best security system installed tomorrow and someone will be with you both at all times."

"We'll put cameras up too, sis."

I simply nodded and grabbed my jacket.

"Emmett, I need to get to Emma. I know she's with nana and papa but… she can't be away from us," he nodded his head and we walked out of my room. "Edward, call your mom and find out which hotel they're at. We'll meet them there and fill them in… but right now I need my daughter."

"OK, love, we're going." He placed his arms around me and lightly kissed my head. "We'll get her."

We all loaded up in the vehicles and drove to the hotel. Esme and Emma were playing with her new books she got from the Zoo when we walked in. I tried to contain my tears but I couldn't help them and I quickly ran over and picked her up, squeezing her against me.

"Mama," she gave a tiny giggle and hugged me back.

"Hi, baby," I tried to say through my tears and I pulled back to look at her. The smile disappeared from her face and her hands went to my cheeks.

"Mama, sad?"

"Mama just missed you, sweet pea, I love you," her face lit up when I pulled back.

"Love you," her tiny words went straight to my heart, I smiled and gave her a kiss.

"Nana, papa… zoo," she said with a smile.

"They took you to the zoo?" I asked eagerly. She quickly nodded and a few of her ringlets bobbed with her enthusiasm. "What animals did you see?" I asked her and sat on the bed with her in my lap.

"Monkeys!" She shouted and started to laugh as she looked at my brother.

"That's my M&M… monkeys are my favorite too."

"Monkeys," she repeated and laughed.

"What else did you see?"I asked when Edward sat down next to us.

"Zee-brahs," her little lips pushed out as she pronounced the name, I chuckled and she smiled when Edward lightly tapped her nose with his finger.

"Fish, mama, fish!"

I had to laugh with how excited she got as she talked about the animals she saw.

Edward and Emmett took Carlisle and Esme into the next room to fill them in, while I laid down on the bed with Emma.

She talked and smiled until she fell asleep, but I refused to leave her side, I only moved when I felt Edward climb in behind me. I had to lift my hips so he could pull us under the covers but then he quickly glued himself to us, my back against his chest, and his arms wrapped securely around both of us.

"Dad's going to make a few phone calls in the morning. He knows some people who will help keep an eye on James."

"I don't want to talk about it right now, but I promise I will in the morning." I felt him nod against my shoulder and then he placed a kiss on my temple. "I just want to lay here and forget about everything else for a little while."

"OK, love." He reached across me and placed a kiss on Emma's cheek, then returned to his earlier position behind me.

We laid for awhile just watching her sleep when a random thought popped in my head.

"Do you ever wonder why she hasn't called you dad?"

"Huh?" He sputtered.

I could tell my question startled him and I tried not to laugh at his reaction.

"I mean… you've always taken on that role… as her dad… but she's never called you it."

"I guess… maybe it's because we've never told her to." I started to rub small circles against his arm that was draped around me. "She knows Emmett and Jasper as her Uncles' but we've never called me her uncle, I've only been Edward," when he finished speaking he placed a kiss against my neck.

"Well, I think we should change that before we get married," I said softly and turned my head so I could see his face. "She's your daughter and she should call you dad."

He didn't say anything, but his eyes glazed over and he firmly planted his lips to mine. I brought my hand up and rested it against the back of his head, holding him to me as we continued to kiss.

"I love you," Edward said into the kiss.

"I know, I love you, too," he gave me one more searing kiss before he pulled back.

"Let's get married tomorrow, Bella… I want to do it as soon as possible. We get married and I can adopt her as my own and that fucker can't ever touch her… please, Bella… I don't want to wait," his eyes pleaded with me and I was a goner. There wasn't any reason for us to wait. We didn't need a big wedding and he's right, the sooner he adopted her, the better.

I took one last look at his beautiful eyes and smiled.

"OK… let's get married tomorrow."

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**A/N: Leave me a review, please... let me know what you are thinking. **

**Also, most of my chapters are averaging at between 8,000 - 10,000 words per chapter. **

**Which is a lot, which is my intention. But with my new term starting on Monday I was **

**thinking that it may be better if i shorten them down to 6 or 7,000 words per chapter. **

**That way the length is still decent but I would be able to update faster and **

**not be under so much pressure with my school work. **

**This chapter is a little over 7,000 words and holds a lot of stuff so I don't think**

**I'll be cheating you guys out of anything. It'll only make it easier to get chapters finished. **

**I would love to know what you are all feeling about this. **

**Thanks for sticking with me and a BIG thanks to samantha1175 for starting my thread on Twilighted... **


	22. Chapter 22

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: I passed 200 reviews, thank you guys so much!!**

**I'm glad you are enjoying my story and sticking with it. **

**Hope you like this chapter. **

* * *

**BPOV**

"Well, we can't get married tomorrow because it's Sunday, but we can on Monday," I closed my eyes and tucked my head back against my daughter.

"You're right," he sighed and kissed my neck. "We'll get married on Monday then."

I laid in Edwards arms for the rest of the night, both of us keeping a good grip on Emma, while we tried hard to find sleep.

In the morning when Emma started to stir we decided it was time to get the family together to discuss some things. I needed to tell everyone the whole story about James and the guys needed to go over ways to make sure Emma stayed safe. They kept saying they would keep me safe too, but, honestly, I wasn't worried about it. I knew James only wanted me, and if taking me meant keeping her safe, I would go willingly.

Everyone else in the room disagreed of course and reminded me how much Emma needed me with her. And they were right, she did need her mom, but that wouldn't stop me from giving my own life for her… I'd do anything for her, she was my whole world. I loved her more than anything.

"Mama, bath," Emma said in a squeaky voice as she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel.

"Aunt Rose gave you bath? Are you all clean now?" I acted surprised.

"Yeah, mama."

"Did aunty wash behind your ears?" She nodded her tiny head as I lifted her on the bed and started to dry her off.

"Co-Co-Nut," she smiled.

"Mmm," I smelled her hair. "You do smell like coconut."

After she was dried, I dressed her in one of her new outfits that Nana bought, black leggings with a blue baby doll shirt that went mid-thigh, paired with her favorite flats.

"Esme, did you pack her a brush?" I started to dry her hair off better.

"Tail, mama, tail," she bounced in my lap.

I laughed quietly with her choice of words. She was smart and she spoke very well for only being 18 months but sometimes what she wanted to say and what she actually said were two different things.

"You want a _pony_-tail today?"

Her tiny hands started to clap and her head bobbed up and down excitedly.

"Alright, mama will do a pony-tail for you."

"Here, it was in the other bag," Esme smiled when she walked back in the room and handed the brush to me.

I carefully brushed out the few tangles and decided on only putting half her hair up, making sure it stayed out of her face, but leaving some down so I could enjoy her curls. I loved her curls.

"Her hairs getting darker, Bella," Alice said as she sat down next to me.

I hadn't really thought about it and I cocked my head to the side. "You think so?"

"Yeah, I don't think she's going to be a blonde much longer, it's definitely darker."

I looked at Emma as she ran and jumped into Esme's arms, and realized it was darker, not just because it was wet, but it had more of a light brown look then a dirty blonde. I smiled at that thought, because, as much as I loved how beautiful she was, her hair was the one thing she inherited from James. And if you took that away, she was that much more 'me' and that much less 'him'.

I sighed and looked over at Alice, grateful that she pointed it out, and thankful for why she pointed it out.

"You're welcome, Bella," she said and leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Emma's getting hungry, Bella, should I take her down to get some food? Or are we all going to breakfast?" Esme asked.

I needed to tell them the story and I didn't want Emma anywhere near me when I had to repeat it. Not only because she didn't need to hear the stuff but she didn't need to see me upset, and I knew talking about it again was going to upset me.

"Actually, Esme, I would like it if we could all talk. Since my brother and Rose already know, maybe they can take her down and keep her occupied for awhile." I looked over, asking Rosalie if it was alright. She smiled and went in the next room with the guys.

We all got up and followed her in so we could go over what was going on. I told my brother I wanted him and Rose to take Emma while I stayed and filled everyone in. He was hesitant at first because he wanted to be in there too, but I didn't think it would be wise for him to hear the story twice. He was already out for blood with James; there was no way he needed to get worked up again, when he could be protecting his niece.

"It'll be fine, it's better this way. Emma will be with you, where no one dares mess with her, and she needs to eat, brother." He finally relented and grabbed his jacket.

"Want us to bring you guys up some stuff?" he asked as I kissed Emma goodbye and handed her to Rosalie.

"I think we'll be OK for right now," Edward said and leaned into kiss Emma on her cheek.

When they left we all stood and silently stared at each other. We knew what was going to happen but everyone seemed to be at a loss for how it should start. Finally Carlisle spoke up and suggested we all sit in the living room area.

He and Esme sat on the couch next to Alice and Jasper, while Edward and I shared the love seat across from them. I was nervously playing with my fingers while I thought of what I was going to have to relive.

"It's alright, love, you're with your family, now." Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer to him.

"It's hard for me to have to say it again… it's like I'm reliving it all over," I said softly.

"Just tell us when you're ready sweetheart, it doesn't have to be today," Esme spoke kindly and I smiled at her.

"I need to get this out so I don't ever have to say it again, you guys aren't going to like a lot of what you hear," I turned to Edward, "And I hate that what I'm going to tell you is going to hurt you."

His hand reached up and he gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Remember what I told you yesterday, nothing you say is going to make me not love you. What you tell us today, do it because you want to not because you feel you owe us… because you don't, love. No matter what, I'm marrying you tomorrow, with or without the story." He leaned in and lightly kissed my lips.

The soft kiss wasn't enough of for me, and ignoring the fact that there was room full of family, I grabbed the back of his head and deepened the kiss. I wanted the comfort of his lips, I wanted the safety of his embrace, and I needed it. He pulled back after a few moments and rested his forehead against mine.

"I'm not going anywhere, Bella," he said while catching his breath.

"I know," I nodded slowly. "I just needed that."

There were a few laughs in the room and it brought my attention back to the matter at hand. I took a deep breath and then turned to face the family, Edward keeping my hands locked with his.

"Yesterday when I told Emmett, I asked him not to interrupt me because I knew if he did I wouldn't be able to continue. I'm going to ask you all the same thing. Please, let me get this out… I know… I know a lot of this stuff is going to make you mad, and even though it may be towards James, some of it will be towards me and that's what makes this so hard…" I could tell Edward wanted to interrupt but I pressed on. "I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, things I know you're going to be disappointed, so please let me get it all out and then," I turned my attention to Edward, "like I said last night, I'll talk about it."

Everyone agreed and I began my story, the same story I told Emmett and Rose.

I started with the day I met James, how nervous I was talking to him but also the strange feelings I got when I was around him, strange in the good way. I told them about the weeks leading up to our first kiss, how James had been sweet and caring, how he'd open doors for me, caring my books to class, pay for my lunches. He was slowly gaining my trust and making me fall in love with him.

I got to the day of our first kiss and almost stopped when I felt Edward tighten his hold on me. I knew that if he was getting that upset over a kiss, he really wasn't going to like the rest of the story. But he took a deep breath, apologized and told me to continue.

I explained to them about the first kiss, about how from the minute our lips touched, James had made me feel so many things, want, desire, love.

"It was that day when we decided to be together. We agreed that we could keep it a secret and it was only a matter of time before Emmett would be OK with our relationship. That was also the day when I saw the first glimpse of James' jealousy. We had just finished our talk and then you texted me. I didn't even know what it said at first but I saw that James was mad. I was so stupid back then, I thought I did something wrong… I always thought I did something wrong whenever James got mad." I huffed in annoyance. "I remember the look in his eyes when he told me to stay away from guys, at the time I remember thinking it was just him being jealous but now that I look back at it, he was pissed and controlling. I was just a possession for him. The next day when we had our away game and we were at that pizza place… do you guys remember when Gavin picked me up and kissed me on the cheek." All three of them nodded. "Well James was pissed and I tried my best to calm him down but he made a comment that made me think he was breaking up with me, but when we got outside he told me he wasn't. He had kept saying that he wanted to hurt Gavin and he even grabbed me hard that night because he was so mad, but I was relieved he wasn't breaking up with me and I just ignored it all. Every red flag that ever flew up… I pushed them away… like they didn't matter."

I explained the months leading up to James telling me he loved me and the first time anything sexual ever happened. Edward did his best to keep his emotions in check but I knew that it bothered him and I hated myself for it, but I kept going. I told them about the how he would sneak in the house and lay with me at night. I told them about the night before my parent's death anniversary, about the things we did in my room.

"At the time… I mean, I still think that a small part of him loved me… actually loved me… and he would offer me so much comfort, he helped me a lot through that time and I was grateful. But I see what he was doing… how he was using my grief as a way to get to me. He knew I was in a vulnerable state and he played off it…"

I kept going with our story; I went all the way through our spring break trip and told them how James and I would sneak off to be together. How he came up to my room and we did things.

"It was always weird for me to hear him tell me… 'You can't ever leave me'… like he would repeat it all the time and I would constantly reassure him that I wasn't going anywhere. He'd always get this look in his eyes… like he was… I don't even know… there was just this look, it gave me chills. They' wouldn't even be focused on anything, he looked crazy but I just ignored it, I always ignored it. I felt sorry for him, you know… because obviously someone had hurt him so bad he didn't think I'd stay with him either. Sometimes when he'd get that look, he would grab me and squeeze me tight, hurting me… but I… I never did anything about it; I never believed he would hurt me on purpose. I thought maybe he was just thinking bad things and he happened to be holding me… I was so stupid.

"The day we went to campus and you gave me a piggy back ride," I was talking to Edward but I had to keep my head down. I knew he was going to be pissed and if I looked up I wouldn't be able to finish my story. So I kept my head down while I talked.

"I saw James get mad and I asked you to let me down. When I walked away James followed me… that was the first time he _actually_ hurt me. We rounded the corner and I remember he slammed me against the wall hard… my head hit the bricks and his hands were squeezing my arms so tight… I was so afraid of him… his eyes had that look in them and he kept squeezing me, then all of a sudden he started kissing me. I didn't like it at first, I was scared and he was rough but when I… _felt… _how much _he_ liked it, I started to like it too – god this is embarrassing – my family was right around the corner and there we were, pushed against the wall, dry humping each other and when he said…" I stopped myself. I was screwed six ways from Sunday if I finished that sentence. I was so ashamed about that day, but it's even worse to know that Edward was next to me holding my hand. Even though he and I weren't together back them I still didn't want to admit I got off when James threatened him. it wasn't that the words excited me, it was his the combination of our heavy make-out, his kisses, his hands on me, and the tome of his voice. But I was disgusted with myself, and was not ready to admit that to Edward. I sat there, not saying anything for a long time. I heard Edward let out a sigh and he tilted my head up.

"It's bad isn't it," he whispered, and like the coward I was I looked away. "You don't have to finish saying it, love… just skip ahead."

I turned to look at him then, and tried to keep the tears from falling over at the depressing look on his face. He knew it had to be something bad since I wasn't talking, and I knew he wanted to know the whole truth, I promised him the whole truth, but I couldn't tell him right now, not in front of his family. It was bad enough I actually got off after he had threatened him, his family didn't need those disgusting details.

"I promise you, I will tell you… but not here… not in front of everyone," I pleaded. His eyes were still downcast but he nodded his head in agreement.

"Go ahead and skip ahead, love, I'm alright."

"I love you, Edward," I told him and wrapped both arms around his neck and kissed him. I hated to see him so broken, and I knew my story was far from over.

"I love you, too," he said after we pulled back from our kiss. "Nothing you say will change that, Bella."

"OK," it came out as a whisper but his words gave me the strength to continue. "After we… _finished_… we met back up with the group and that's when Emmett had made plans for Gavin and Ryan and them to come back to the house. Apparently Ryan had been looking at me and James didn't like it, so he got a little rough with me again. I confronted him that time and told him how he had no right to get mad and hurt me because someone looked at me, he apologized and I forgave him."

I went on to tell them about the rest of the night, about Ryan talking to me and James listening. I talked about how we had met up in my room after we had finished singing. I told them what James and I had done, not in details but that we had fooled around sexually. Edward held my hand the entire time, not once did he look at me like I was repulsive but I did see the sadness in his eyes when I mentioned James had slept in my bed.

I told them, word for word about the conversation we had. How James had apologized for hurting me, and he promised to never do it again. I told them the story James had told me about South Carolina, about how mean his dad was and the things he would do to him.

I stopped in the middle of the story and looked at Jasper.

"Was any of that true, Jasper? James said you were around him a lot back then."

He didn't answer, but the look on his face and the way his hands were clinched was answer enough. James had played me from the beginning and what better way to manipulate me, than use a sad story about his parents. I looked at my feet, mentally slapped myself for had being dumb enough to fall for his shit.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Jasper said softly.

"It's not your fault, Jasper, but thank you." I smiled appreciatively and then continued where I left off. "He told me that's why he was on probation in the first place because he had finally stood up to his father but he was an adult now and he got arrested. He spent some time in jail but then when he came to help his aunt he realized he wanted to start over and that's why he moved here. He had to change his name because he had jumped his parole. His name is Marcus James Tucker," I looked at Jasper. "Is that what you knew him as?"

"No, I've always known him as James…he told me when he got here that his foster parents had adopted him and that's why he changed his last name to Carter."

"Foster parents?" I asked completely confused.

"Yeah… I'll tell you what I know about James, but maybe after you finish your story, Bella," he said softly and gave me a sad smile.

I agreed and resumed talking.

I went through the rest of our vacation and the months leading up to prom. I told them everything about how I had been feeling that night. I didn't miss the little smirk that appeared on Edwards face when I mentioned how I had been checking him out on my way down the stairs. But it was true; he had looked amazing that night. His smirk faded when I got to end of the night, like I knew it was going to.

I knew what he would be feeling after I told him what happened when I was dropped off. He saw me hesitate and he squeezed my hand for reassurance, silently telling me to continue. So I did. I told them everything about that night, what James did to the room with the flowers and candles. How gentle and attentive he was to me. How careful he had been while we were making love, the things he said to me. How he had showered and bathed me before we fell asleep and I told them about the song he sang to me the next morning, and how we had made love again.

I hated that I knew this was hurting Edward but I needed to tell them everything. I explained to them about going to pick up Emmett and how pissed James had been getting because of the texts from Edward. I told them about how he had pulled over and we were making out in the back of the jeep, but then James got mad and had ordered me to stay away from Edward and that's when I had truly seen the evil side of James. How James started squeezing me and grabbing me, the things he yelled at me. Everyone was quiet and never once did they interrupt me while I talked, but I wasn't surprised when the silence was broken after I told them about how James had torn off my clothes and ignored my pleas to stop, I was only surprised by who stood up and shouted.

"That no good son of a bitch!" Carlisle had jumped up from his seat and began pacing. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Carlisle was very much like my dad, they both never swore. It was some old fashioned gentleman's rule, I guess. They didn't use those words. Everyone in the room had pretty much the same expression on their faces as I had on mine. We watched wide eyed as Carlisle kept repeating that over and over, while he paced. I felt terrible that I had caused so much pain in my family. My heart hurt for every one of them.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"NO," Carlisle stopped pacing and turned to me, his voice and face expression softening. "You don't get to say you're sorry, Bella…. None of this is your fault, understand?" I nodded and Edward reached over to wipe my face. "I'm sorry. We all had promised to not interrupt, and then I lose my temper. Do not, for one minute, take any of the blame, I should not have interrupted and I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Carlisle… Emmett did too, except he has to fix the whole in the wall." I tried to tease.

Carlisle sat down and reached for Esme's hand. "Please continue, Bella. I promise to not interrupt."

I could help but snort. "If you're anything like Emmett you're going to break that promise too." I looked at him so he knew I was not mad. And I wasn't, well not at him, more at myself. I knew that wasn't going to be the only time someone interrupted me and thanks to my brother I was more prepared. Emmett had screamed profanity's throughout most of my story, punched the wall twice and threw all three of our water glasses. I knew with Carlisle, Jasper and Edward in the same room, there would definitely be more interruptions.

"You're probably, right," he teased back. "So I apologize ahead of time." We all laughed quietly and I continued.

"He got really possessive and kept screaming I was his and started to get rough. The look in his eyes is what scared me the most; it was like he was a different person. I was crying and begging him to stop but it wasn't until I screamed that he was hurting me, that he actually stopped. He apologized and convinced me he'd never do it again and we ended up… making up…" I felt my face hating up as I talked about our time in the jeep. "During… you know… he tried to get me to stay away from Edward but I told him I couldn't. I was afraid he was going to get mad again but he didn't. He told me he understood but that if Edward ever touched me again, James would hurt him."

I looked at Edward. "I never thought you had feelings for me… I just figured it was James being jealous... He was always jealous, with any guy who looked at me. I argued and argued that you didn't feel anything for me, but James was positive and he always watched you closely."

I told them everything, every time James and I had snuck off to be together. Every time he came down from Seattle to be with me. I told them about my birthday and what we did in the house. I didn't look at anybody when I mentioned my birthday; I was so embarrassed that I had done that in their home. I did mumble a tiny sorry, which Esme dismissed quickly and told me to continue.

I explained to them about how I kept feeling like someone was watching me, I never saw anyone but I always had that feeling. I told them about Halloween and how Ryan stayed with me because I had been scared.

"It was after that day that Ryan and I started to become good friends. He was always around when I needed someone and he kept a good eye on me. Nothing sexual ever happened between us, we kissed twice the entire time I've known him. Once was right before he left for the Marines and the other time was at the Christmas party. "

I went on to tell them everything that happened in my room after that night. The things James said to me and did to me. How rough he had been while we were making love… how possessive he was. Edward had flexed his fingers a few times while he held my hand but other than that he made no reaction. I could hear Jasper breathing heavily, and could tell this was upsetting him also.

"When New Years came he and I had spent the day together. He told me he had to go back to campus to talk to someone about a job and I never questioned him. I realize now he was probably with Victoria but I didn't suspect. If you think about it though," I turned to Edward and smiled, "That was the night of our first kiss and if he had been there, I don't think it would have happened." He smiled back and leaned into kiss my cheek.

"That was the night I realized that I was in love with you," he admitted quietly. I stared at him in shock and he continued. "I remember dancing with you and looking at you in a different way but I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't until we were watching the countdown and I noticed you had a hickey that everything seemed to click. It took… _literally_... it took everything I had in me to not deepen that kiss."

I smiled at his confession and kissed him, I kissed him like I should have kissed him that night. We didn't stop until someone cleared their throat and we pulled back so I could finish my story.

I walked them through the months of James and me slowly drifting apart. I was convinced it was because of his job but now I knew it was because he was cheating on me. I told them how he didn't make it to our Valentine's Day that I had planned and how when he showed up the next week I had been in such a hurry to be with him, I didn't use a condom.

"That's the day I got pregnant. That was the only time we didn't use a condom," I said quietly. Ashamed.

"Bella, don't," Alice ordered and I looked up to meet her eyes. "James may have been the biggest asshole alive but that night he gave you Emma… don't regret that for a second!"

"I don't… I just hate that I actually have something to thank him for."

"Bella," Esme's voice made me look over. "He may have had a small role in creating her… but she is nowhere affiliated with his ugliness. She's your daughter," her finger pointed to me and Edward, "not his!"

"Thank you," I said to both of them. They all loved my daughter as much I did, and I knew they would do everything they could to keep that monster away from him.

"Well, that was the last weekend James I were intimate."

I told them about the night I found him cheating and then apologized to Edward for lying to him when I denied I had feelings for James. I told them that Ryan and I took off and I confessed everything to him in that hotel. I told them about all the messages and phone calls I got from James when I showed up back to Forks.

"I called him back and told him it was over and for him to leave me alone. He kept screaming that he was sorry and then he got mad when I wouldn't accept. He told me I was his and I'd never be able to get away from him, but I didn't by his shit, I wasn't taking him back and then I hung up. We all went camping and when we got back he had called and texted like crazy. He wasn't going to leave me alone so I had my number changed.

"I kept feeling like I was being followed but I never saw anyone, it was just that eerie feeling you get, that sends chills up your spine. I had it all the time, everywhere I went. One day after work Emmett was supposed to pick me up for work but then said he wanted to leave for Seattle early so he asked if Ryan could do it. He said yes and then he and I went to get some food. When Ryan dropped me off that night I didn't even get the key in the door before James showed up out of nowhere.

"I was scared of course but more pissed than anything. We started to fight because I wanted him to leave but he kept ignoring me. He was pacing back and forth and getting this really crazy look about him. He wouldn't leave, just kept yelling at me, and finally I yelled at him to take a hint and I told him that I had moved on. I knew he was already pissed but I mean so was I, but I didn't think he'd actually do anything." I looked back down at my feet. When I told Emmett what had happened next that was how the first and second glass was broken. I didn't know what would happen here but I knew I had to tell them.

"He got really mad after I said that and… he… he hit me across the face."

"That mother fucker!" Edward and Jasper yelled.

"That son of a bitch!"Carlisle screamed.

I didn't want them to do anything so I hurried and kept talking. I told them what happened next, how he carried me to my room and what I let him do to me to make me feel better. I told him how dirty I felt afterwards and told him to leave. And when he wouldn't, how I threatened I would tell Emmett, but James just grabbed me and told me he'd kill anyone who tried to take me away from him.

"He said he would leave me alone for the night and when he was gone I called to see if I could stay over at your house," I looked over at Esme.

"Fuck!" Edward groaned. "That's the night I answered and had you come over."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I fucking knew it then…I saw your face when you saw James but I didn't understand why you would be scared of him so I figured you were just surprised to see him there… I fucking invited you in to be around him after what he just did… fuck!"

"Stop," I quickly wrapped my arms around him. "You didn't know… no one did… if this isn't my fault you better not dare say it's your either."

"That's why you were gone when I woke up, huh?"

"Yeah… he came into the room that night and grabbed me and threatened you if I didn't leave. He told me to go home and wait for him so I said I would. But when I left I knew if I went home he was going to hurt me, there wasn't a doubt in my mind, he was going to hurt me, so I drove to some town in Oregon and stayed there until Emmett came home."

I told them how I would see James at school and throughout town, standing just watching me. The things he'd leave in my locker and how Ryan kept telling me to tell you guys but I made him promise to keep it a secret. I told them about the day my tire was flat and I had a note telling me to go to the office, and how James assaulted me in the empty classroom. Hoe he tried to force himself on me.

The sound of breaking glass made me stop talking and I looked over to see both Jasper and Carlisle pacing the room, Jasper was standing over a broken lamp. Edward kept a tight grip on my hand but his nostrils flared and his breathing was quick and heavy.

"After that day I started to stay with Alice more. I was afraid to leave my house or be alone. I basically moved in with you guys since Emmett was always gone. I was so scared James would corner me again and I knew I was safe at your house," I said to Esme but spoke so everyone heard. "I had been pretty successful staying away from him so when Ryan asked me to go with him to Port Angeles I didn't think it'd be a problem. We went to dinner and then a movie and then we walked along the shoreline. It was a nice night and he and I talked a lot about him going off to the Marines. He asked me if he could kiss me to see if we felt anything towards each other and I said OK. It was a quick few second peck and when we pulled back, we both agreed that we were nothing but friends. Unbeknownst to us both, James had seen the whole the thing."

I explained to them about the entire argument and how Ryan thought he would make him leave but the things he said only pissed him off more. I told them how I tried to make James stop hitting him but he kept pounding away.

"When I finally got him to stop he let me check over Ryan before we left. I told Ryan to call Emmett or Carlisle… anyone… really to be at my house because that's where I was going to take James. Only, when I got home no one was there." I felt the tears prick at my eyes as I was brought back to that night that was one of the scariest nights of my life and I hated that it still affected me so.

"I immediately started crying when he had parked the car on the street, I knew there was no one coming to save me and I was going to be alone in the house with him. When we walked in he starts kissing on my neck and running his hands over my body." I paused for a few seconds. I visibly tensed and squeezed my eyes shut; I hated thinking about his hands touching me.

"I kept telling him to stop but he wasn't listening… I'm not even sure if he heard me, he was so crazy that night. He carried me up to the room and kept kissing me, I was begging him to stop. He ended up ripping open my shirt and he forced his fingers inside of me… I kept screaming and telling him to stop but he kept saying how I was made for him… I was so scared," I started crying hard as I was brought back to that night. "He wouldn't stop and his fingers were hurting me… I was so scared; I knew he was going to rape me… I knew it and he was too strong I couldn't stop him from touching me," I sobbed.

My hand was flung onto my lap as Edward stood up and threw the first thing he could get to, which happened to be the coffee table.

"Mother Fucker is dead when I see him again… he's fucking dead… what happened at the bar is nothing compared to what's going to happen when I see him again."

Edward was livid and started grabbing fistfuls of his hair and yanking roughly.

"How dare he force himself on you… I'm going to fucking kill him!"

I quickly stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck; I needed to calm him down.

"But he didn't rape me, Edward," I sobbed into his neck. "He didn't… you saved me that night… you and Emmett showed up and he stopped. He hid in the bathroom and told me he'd kill Emmett if I said anything, so I lied and told you guys I was upset because of Ryan." I held on tight and sighed when I felt his arms wrap around me. "He didn't rape me, baby… you stopped him."

We held each other for a few awhile, both afraid to let go. When I felt his breathing return to normal I walked us back to the loveseat and curled up in his lap. His hands weaved through my hair, while he laid gentle kisses along my head.

"I called his P.O. the next day and she helped me figure out a way to get him out in the open so she could arrest him. I didn't tell her about how James had hurt me, I only told her that he had a bad temper and started to scare me, and when I found out he was wanted, I felt it was the right thing to do to turn him in. I didn't want you guys to know anything so I went with James to Port Angeles. They arrested him and the whole time he kept screaming that he'd find me and that nothing could keep him away from me… it was scary and awful, but I thought for sure he'd leave me alone. The next day is when I found out I was pregnant and you guys pretty much know the rest."

The room was quiet and everyone sat still, I could tell they were trying to process everything I had just told them, so I stayed wrapped in Edwards arms and waited for someone to speak.

Esme was the first to break the silence.

"Can you still press charges?"

"Officer Bleaker said without proof it would be her word against his," Edward answered and continued to lay gentle kisses on my head.

"But you could prove it, Bella… I mean Ryan could testify for what he saw and what James did to him," Alice suggested and sat up straighter. "Plus, he can't deny you guys were… you know – together… you can always do the blood test to prove he's Emma's fath –"

"NO!" Edward and I both screamed.

Alice jumped slightly from our raised voices and I immediately felt bad, but there was no way I wanted a DNA test done and Edward felt the same way.

"That's not an option for either one of us," Edward said and kissed my temple. "If a blood test is done that establishes paternity and would grant James rights to Emma," he continued in a clipped tone.

"I didn't know that," Alice said. "I don't see how that's fair… he doesn't even know her how can he have any rights to her… I mean… so he just gets away with what he did to Bella?" She asked completely flabbergasted.

"I'm not worried about getting him in trouble for what he did back then," I admit, earning gasps from around the room.

"Sweetheart, you can't be serious?" Esme asked.

"But I am," I looked up and met everyone's stare. "The only thing I want is to keep him away from Emma; I just want him to leave her alone. He doesn't have to be in jail to do that… I don't care what happens to him, really… as long as he leaves my daughter alone."

"The note he left in Bella's room told us what his intentions were for Emma," Edward sneered and I couldn't help but cringe when I thought of him hurting her to get to me. "He's not interested in daddy-daughter time; he's trying to find ways to get to Bella."

"I promise you, Bella," Carlisle said and came to kneel in front of me, "That I will do everything I can to make sure he doesn't come anywhere near her."

"I know… and thank you," I leaned forward and hugged him. "I just hate the fact that he might actually do something to her to get to me."

"I'd like to see him try to get past Emmett, not to mention the rest of the men in this family," Esme snorted.

"We're all here for you and her Bella. We'll all do what we can to keep her safe," Jasper promised and I smiled appreciatively at him.

"That's one of the reasons Bella and I want to rush getting married," Edward offered. "Not only do I love her and want to spend the rest of my life with her," he leaned down and kissed me chastely, "But once we're married I can adopt Emma and change her last name to Cullen."

"Really?" Alice squealed and we all laughed.

"We want to go to the court house tomorrow and get married," I looked over at Esme and Alice; I wanted something that would lighten the mood. "So, it'd be nice if we could find me and Emma a dress today."

"Yay!" Alice screamed and started clapping. "Let's go when Rose and Emmett get back… we should all go together."

"I agree, I think its best that we all stay close to each other," Carlisle suggested.

Not even ten minutes later Emmett, Rosalie and Emma came waltzing through the door laughing.

"Mama," Emma smiled when she saw me.

"Hey, sweet pea," I cooed as I picked her up. "Did you have a good breakfast?"

She smiled, showing both her dimples and nodded her head.

"M&M."

"What did you and uncle Em eat?" I asked.

"M&M," she smiled and clapped her chubby little fists together.

"M&M?" I looked over her head to my brother, who was surprisingly looking at the wall behind him. "You mean Uncle Emmett gave you M&M's?"

She nodded her head and grinned at my brother.

"Choc-oh-lit," she said and then opened up her hand to reveal a melted M&M.

"That is chocolate…. But I think it's melted, sweet pea, and we better clean it up before it gets on your clothes. We're going to go shopping," I said with some enthusiasm in my voice because I knew she loved to go shopping.

"Shoes?" she asked excitedly and everyone laughed.

"Yes, you're going to get shoes and a dress, so let's go get you cleaned up."

Alice filled Emmett and Rose in on what our plans for the day were and everyone started to get ready to leave.

Edward walked over with a tissue to take away her melted candy and then offered to clean Emma up. As I was handing her off to him, I remembered what we had talked about in bed last night. When he put his hands out to grab her I met his eyes and smiled.

"Go with daddy, Emma, and get washed up."

His eyes grew big at hearing me say dad, and then he quickly looked at Emma to catch her reaction, we both did.

But, she just laughed and jumped into his arms as she always had before. I could tell in his eyes that the spark he had when I first said daddy was starting to wither, even though he tried to hide it, but as he leaned into kiss her cheek she looked at him and smiled.

"Dad-dy, wash," she held out her hands to show Edward her chocolate mess.

His face lit up like it was the fourth of July. My own eyes started to form tears as I watched him pull back to look at her. His face was filled with so much love; he looked like he might burst. He leaned into kiss her forehead and met my stare, his glistening eyes silently telling me he loved me.

_I love you, too_ – I mouthed to him, before he turned and headed for the bathroom.

"Yes, baby, daddy's going to help wash you up," he practically sung to her.

I didn't even try to stop the smile that spread across my face as I put my jacket on. Seeing them together and hearing her call him daddy felt so right, like that was how it was supposed to be all along. We were a family, a real family, and tomorrow we were getting married, Emma and I would both have his last name – I couldn't wait.

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**A/N: How'd you like it? I tried to give you more of Emma,**

**Let me know your thoughts, please. **

**I crave them!!! **

**I will have another EPOV for you guys in the next two or three chapters. **


	23. Chapter 23

******Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone for reading, I really hope you are enjoying it.  
Here's the wedding we've all been waiting for.  
This chapter switches back and forth between BPOV and EPOV.  
Hope you like it.... Lemons ahead.**

* * *

**BPOV**

I couldn't stop my hands from shaking as I reached down and took the small velvet box from the sales lady.

"We have that ring in a ten and eleven."

_It was beautiful. _

I very carefully took the band out of the box and held it between my thumb and pointer finger, picturing the way the two tones would look on Edwards' skin.

"That one is a 14K two tone stripe Dora Diamond Wedding Band, we just got the shipment in last night," the sales lady informed me.

I hadn't even thought about getting him a ring until we walked past the jewelry store, but I was glad I did, even if he didn't have one for me, I wanted to surprise him with a ring. I knew I wouldn't have time for a proper inscription but, I wanted it, I could already imagine Edward wearing the band. It was perfect.

The band was a thick yellow gold with a thin white gold stripe around the middle, inside the stripe laid three princess cut diamonds evenly spread out and just the right size, so it was still manly but had a sparkle to it; Perfect width for his finger, too.

"Bella," Rosalie and Alice both awed from my side. "That's the one… you don't need to look any more."

"I agree," Esme said, as she walked over to me. She had been on the phone for awhile and stepped outside when I started looking at rings.

She smiled down at me and rested her hand lightly on my shoulder. "That one's perfect."

I smiled back.

"I think so, too," I whispered as I continued to roll the band between my fingers.

"That ring retails at $5,300 but if you buy it today," I heard the sales lady punching away on her calculator but I continued to stare at the ring. No matter what it cost, that ring was the one for Edward. I barely heard her when she started to speak again. "We can offer it to you for $2,999."

"I'll take it," I said, still rolling it around in my finger. I held it up so that when the light hit just right, the gold would shine and the diamonds would sparkle at the same time. I couldn't wait to see it on his finger.

We were there for another thirty minutes while she handed me all sorts of paper work to sign and take with me, you would think I was buying a car with the amount of forms she handed to me.

When we were finally finished we left and headed back towards the car. My feet were killing me so I quickly climbed in the back seat and sat next to Emma while I buckled her up. Rosalie climbed in the driver seat while we waited for Alice and Esme who were off to the side on the phone again.

Between the dress shopping and all the walking we did, I was exhausted and I could tell Emma was tired too. We had been out and about for almost five hours but it had been worth it.

Alice had taken us to a Bridal shop downtown where I found the perfect dress for me and Emma after two hours of searching.

Mine was a MoriLee white cocktail length A-Line, swing skirt with lace surrounding the hemline, vertical draping on the strapless empire bust with a wide blue sash trimming the midriff. The flare of the skirt was my favorite part of the dress; it kept it classy and sexy at the same time. It was absolutely gorgeous; not a wedding gown of course but it was going to be perfect for tomorrow.

Emma's dress was a beautiful toddler version of mine, except she had wide shoulder straps and a little bit of tulle underneath her skirt, but it looked great on her and we matched beautifully.

Alice, Rosalie and Esme bought dresses as well, even after I told them they didn't need to. Alice about had a fit and insisted on everyone looking nice telling me, "Even though the wedding was taking place in a courthouse, it was not going to change the fact that it was still a wedding," and she was going to make sure that everyone dressed accordingly.

"I just got off the phone with Carlisle," Esme started as she climbed in the passenger seat, Alice sitting in the back next to me. "Gary just finished with the alarm system at your house, and now Carlisle is having him install one for ours as well."

"Good," I sighed with relief.

"Everyone is going to stay with us tonight, Bella," she continued. "The guys are going to grab some food for dinner right now."

"Crack-ers, nana?" Emma asked.

"Are you getting hungry, Emma," Esme smiled at her and dug in her purse for the bag of crackers. "Do you want your juice, too?"

Emma nodded her head and reached her hands out to grab them from Esme.

"Thank you," she beamed and instantly started drinking from her cup.

"Rose?" I said quietly.

"Yeah."

"I was wondering if maybe… you could hold on to the ring for me, you know… be my Maid of Honor," I looked in the rearview mirror as soon as her head shot up, our eyes locking. I could see tears building in her eyes, which really wasn't smart in a car full of females. There's like an unspoken rule when one cries… she can never cry alone.

"I'm honored… to be your Maid of Honor," she said through tears but with a smile on her face.

It was such a corny line and we all ended up laughing out, putting an end to our blubbering mess.

**EPOV **

"Who were you talking to, Dad?" I asked as he walked back over to us.

"An old friend," He patted me on the back and sat next to me while I put my shoes back on. "I got great news for you son."

Alice had informed me that we were all to buy Tan Khaki's and white dress shirts, so she sent us to some shop downtown, which is where we had been for the past hour.

"I already talked to your mother and Alice and we all agreed to keep this a surprise for Bella," he told me with a smile on his face.

"Keep what a surprise?" I asked.

"Judge Richard Davis is an old friend of mine. He's been in King County for the past twenty-three years and his wife is the county clerk at the courthouse. They agreed to marry you two tomorrow… he's doing this as a favor for me, son."

"That's great, dad, but I don't get why we needed a favor," I stated a little confused.

"According to Washington Law, you can't just go to the courthouse and be married, there's certain paperwork required, proper identification needed, three day waiting period and you have to have a justice of the peace or a religious clergyman sign the document before the proper agency can validate it."

"Shit," I mumbled and ran a hand roughly down my face. I had been in such a rush to make Bella my wife, I hadn't thought about all the steps we would have to take in order to be married.

"Now, son, don't get all worked up. I told you Richard did me a favor," he smiled smugly but didn't continue, causing me to grow even more anxious.

"Are you going to share with the rest of the class, or make me sweat some more?" I said facetiously.

"I thought about making you sweat some more," he laughed.

"Come on, Dad…" I all but whined… at that point I was not above begging.

Carlisle laughed a little more at my expense and then put me out of my misery as we started walking to the registers.

"Richard pulled a few strings of his own, and let's just say the only thing you will need tomorrow is your passports or birth certificates. He's going to surpass the waiting period, and immediately after you sign the certificate, Helen – his wife – is going to validate the papers and you'll be husband and wife."

"Really?" I couldn't hide my excitement.

"Really, but that's not the best part," he grinned and grabbed his own bag from the counter.

"What's the best part?" Emmett asked as we walked out the door, he and Jasper had been listening to the conversation as well.

"Your mother and Alice gave me strict orders not to let word of this get back to Bella, and I need all of you to promise not to let it slip," Carlisle addressed us all but I couldn't help but notice how his eyes lingered on one in particular.

"Why are you staring at me?" Emmett asked sheepishly and we all chuckled.

"You know why," Carlisle continued. "I mean it; Esme would have my head if Bella found out."

"OK," Emmett assured. "My lips are sealed."

Carlisle nodded and looked back at me.

"You won't be married in the courthouse tomorrow."

My heart sunk at his words.

"But… you just said –" he interrupted before I could voice my confusion.

"I know what I said, you will be married tomorrow but not in the courthouse."

"I don't get it?" I admitted as we all climbed in the vehicle.

"When Richard and his wife bought their home, they had Esme design the layout of their backyard. They knew they were going to host several events and Helen wanted a nicely landscaped yard that could accommodate certain functions. Well one of those function happened to be private weddings, which they have done a few times."

I turned my eyes away from the road momentarily so I could look at my father's smiling face. As the realization of his words sunk in, I couldn't help but smile back.

"While I had been on the phone with Richard, your mother was on the phone with his wife, and Helen insisted that the wedding be at her house. Your mother and Helen are going to set up everything so it's ready tomorrow afternoon."

I was literally speechless. I had no words to express how happy I was feeling, and how grateful I was to everyone helping out. My breath hitched and my chest tightened; it felt like my heart was being squeezed.

"I don't know what to say," I choked out and tried to clear my throat, which had become so thick with the emotions that flooded my body.

I knew Bella would never complain about a courthouse wedding, because that was the type of person she was. She appreciated everything and everyone; she always saw the good in things and never focused on the bad. She would smile big and be just as proud of our courthouse wedding as she would if she were married in a castle. I knew she never wanted a big wedding, but no woman wants to be married in a room where criminals are handcuffed and sent to jail, even though the room would be empty, the setting would still be the same, and I wanted better for Bella, she deserved better, and now thanks to my family she was going to get a ceremony worth remembering.

I turned the car off as soon as we pulled in front of Emmett's house, but I didn't get out, none of us did. The emotions that were running through me were so intense I didn't even remember the drive back. I took a deep breath and turned to look at my father.

"Dad…" I croaked out and felt a few tears fall down my face. I opened my mouth a few times but nothing would come out. I tried to say something… anything, but there were no words to express my gratitude for what they did for Bella.

"It's alright, son," he said quietly and pulled me in for a hug. "I love you… and we all love Bella. You deserve this just as much as she does."

"She would have married me anywhere, dad," I sobbed into his shoulder, completely overwhelmed by how much Bella loved me. "She would have done it, and she would have never complained once about the setting."

"That's because she loves you, Edward," he continued to comfort me while I cried into his shirt. I vaguely registered that Jasper and Emmett were witnessing my very un-manly behavior, but it didn't matter, I was too overcome with emotion to care about who could be watching.

"It's just… I wanted to rush… I mean how I could even consider doing that to her… a fucking courtroom… I… she was doing it for me, Dad…" I cried and gripped onto him tighter. "And to know she won't have to be married there... I can't even… I mean… I am so fucking grateful. She deserved so much better, Dad."

He held me and continued to murmur reassurances to me until I calmed down. My sobs had finally subsided and I pulled away from him, both of us wiping our faces.

"I'm happy for you, son, and no matter what's going on in that head of yours, remember that she loves you."

"Thank you."

As I wiped my eyes one last time I noticed that the back seat was empty, I hadn't heard Jasper and Emmett get out of the car but they must have left to give us privacy.

I locked the doors as I stepped out of the car and noticed that Emmett stood off to the side of the house, his back turned towards us. When he heard my footsteps approach, he turned around and that's when I noticed his face.

He had tear tracks on his cheeks and his eyes were red rimmed, he had obviously been crying.

"You're right, Edward… Bella would have married you anywhere," he said quietly. "She loves you a lot, Edward… I mean even before you two actually admitted it to each other, it was there, we all saw it." He paused briefly and wiped his eyes before looking back over at me. "Keep her happy, Edward," his eyes locked onto mine, "Just keep her happy."

"I will, Em."

"They both mean everything to me, Edward… and I know you're going to take care of them."

"Thank you."

"You're my best friend and if my dad were here I know he'd give you his blessing, so I'm giving it for him. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving of my sister and niece," Emmett confessed and extended his hand out to me.

I eagerly took it and was pulled in for a hug.

"I love you, bro… and I know you'll take care of them," his voice was strained.

"I love them more than you could possibly imagine, Emmett, and I swear I'm going to take care of them."

We stood in the yard for a few more minutes before Gray pulled up and we broke apart, both wiping our eyes.

"Alright, well let's go check out the alarm system," Emmett said and we both headed inside.

Gary walked us through how everything worked and helped Emmett learn how to arm and disarm the system. It took them about an hour for him and his team to wire the entire house but when they were finished, we all felt much better with having Bella and Emma stay here.

Carlisle asked if Gary had enough time to install a system in his home and we all drove over while he installed it.

"Do you boys want to go and pick up some food for everyone?" Carlisle asked as he walked into the living room.

"Yeah, what are we getting?" Emmett asked.

"I was thinking Chinese."

"Works for me," we all said in unison.

"I'll pick it up so you guys can stay and talk with Gary," Jasper offered and we thanked him.

Emmett made the order and Jasper took off to pick it up, returning just in time for Gary to walk us through the system.

**BPOV**

Edward greeted us as we pulled up, immediately coming around to get Emma out of the car after he kissed me hello.

I loved that mans kisses. It was soft, gentle, loving, I hadn't ever felt lips so tender. His lips were always so soft and warm, molding to mine like they were made for me.

"Dad-dy," Emma squealed as he lifted her out of the car.

"Hi, sweet pea… did you have fun?"

She nodded her head. "Shoes."

"You got shoes? What color are they?"

She smiled and used her fingers to sign the sign "white" to him. Ever since she had been taught baby-sign, she had always done her colors in sign language.

"Daddy got white shoes today, too," he continued to talk with Emma as we walked in the house.

Everyone ate at the table and we all talked about how things would go tomorrow. Apparently an old friend of Carlisle's was going to marry us tomorrow. We needed to be at the courthouse by two with our ID's, passports and we each needed one witness to sign the marriage certificate. I chose Rosalie and Edward chose my brother.

That night Emma asked if she could sleep with nana and papa, who both said they were more than happy to let her sleep with them. I hesitated for a fraction of a second only because I didn't want to be away from her, but then kissed her goodnight and walked with Edward to 'our' room.

"Are you nervous, love?" Edward asked as I snuggled against him under the covers.

"No."

"I know traditionally we're supposed to head out to some exotic island for our honeymoon, but I'm not so sure we'd be able to stay gone for more than two days." His lips lightly brushed my forehead, his hands ghosting themselves along my back. The touch of his fingers was electric. It set off a ping pong of impulses through my body.

"I don't want to leave anyway, Edward," I reassured him and turned my head to look up at him. "I can't stand the thought of being away from Emma right now with James out there. I don't want you feeling bad about anything," I told him quietly as I squeezed myself tighter against his chest.

He squeezed me back and moved his head so he could kiss me. We both pressed harder in unison, teeth lightly grazing, backing away. Edward took control, his tongue tracing between my lips as I parted my teeth just enough to let him in. Our tongues met and began flickering over each other slowly, turning, gently prodding.

Our kiss was filled with passion and love but soon became frantic need. Only breaking apart for him to whisper "I promise when things calm down, I'll give you the honeymoon you deserve."

The next thing I knew I was flat on my back and Edward hovered over me, his weight supported by his arms on either side of my body. He reined kisses across my pale white skin; the swell of my breasts, the curve of my waist, the soft roundness of my hips. My flesh burned at his touch, marked by the passage of his lips. He crouched down and gently parted my legs, quickly shedding me of my panties.

I trembled and gripped the sheets on either side of me as Edward began licking the inside of my thighs. I had waited so long for him to touch me like he was and I felt I might explode from the pleasure of it.

He traced a path downward to where my legs met, his tongue reached out to find my center. At the first touch I gasped loudly, my body exploding with a sensation that quickly engulfed me. I started to push him away; the feeling too intense, but Edward held me tight and growled.

He fucking growled.

"You smell so good."

The vibrations from his voice sent a shock wave through my body and I fisted my hands in his hair. I couldn't help the animal sound that escaped between my lips, but he didn't seem to mind. He swiftly buried his face in my sex, his tongue hastily darting from his mouth licking my folds over and over. My hips were bucking off the mattress involuntarily and he used both hands to try and hold me still. Tenderly he stroked my clit, circling it, rolling it between his full lips.

My sighs seemed to guide his pace.

I moaned a little more as I felt him take another circle around her clit, and then work down, a finger entering me gently as his thumb took over the movements of his tongue momentarily. Back and forth, up and down. Another finger pushed its way in and I felt my muscles tense against them as his fingers moved in and out.

He had big fingers, my mind barely able to grasp any concept except the desire to fuck him.

Slowly he increased the pressure till the sighs became moans, hoarse and low in my throat. I was close now, on the verge of release. He closed his mouth around my swollen nub and sucked… hard.

That was enough and I was coming.

It hit me like a tsunami, rolling through me with a force that closed my eyes and arched my back. I could hear my keening as though through a tunnel as I felt his fingers plunge in and out of me as he sucked my swollen, turgid clit into his gorgeous mouth. My moans became cries, and in the cries I called out his name.

When I calmed, he slowly removed his fingers, making me hiss at the loss. He moved up over me and said, "I could come from just watching you come. Jesus, Bella that was beautiful."

He shifted so we are laying side by side and I was cradled in his arms, but I had other plans.

I pulled back from him and lightly pushed on his shoulder so he fell onto his back. I made eye contact with him before I let a mischievous smile emerge on my face. His eyes lit up and his chest rose and fell rapidly with his increased breathing. I was doing that to him and my inner girly girl did her dance of joy.

He looked down at me; his voice was low and so sexy when he finally spoke. "Oh God, Bella… I fucking love you."

I began the journey of exploring every inch of his magnificent body the way I'd always wanted to. It was all mine and I took my time, licking his neck and shoulders, sucking his nipples and running my hands over his arms and rib cage.

He panted lightly and whimpered and moaned as I made my way down and knelt between his legs. My mouth dropped open and I began to pant. I was staring shamelessly at the biggest erection I had ever seen. Of course I had only seen one other in my entire life, but Edward surpassed James in the size department by a mile… and oh my God was it thick.

I glanced up and saw him watching me intently. It caught me off guard to know he just witnessed my gawking, and I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"You're beautiful ... so big."

He smiled a cute little nervous smile.

_He couldn't possibly have been insecure about this, could he? _

I reach out with one hand and grasped the base, squeezing experimentally.

He gasped and bucked forward a little. I watched as a drop of fluid emerged from his tiny hole and began to dribble down.

I had the sudden urge to taste him. I needed to taste him.

I leaned down and licked his head causing him to hiss out.

I wanted him to writhe in pleasure, out of control, the same way I had done. I grasped him firmly and without further hesitation, slid my lips over him, licking the length of his shaft on the way down. He groaned and grabbed the sheets with one hand, the other gently holding onto my hair.

"I love your lips," he moaned. "I dreamed about this so many times."

He was gasping and breathing ragged as I moved up and down. I could feel him pulse on my tongue and I felt my center grow warm and moist, swelling until it throbbed in answer to his excitement. His hands were fisted into the bed covers. His head was thrown back and a constant low hum was coming from his throat.

I loved that _I_ was doing that to him!

I hummed around him and began retreating and swallowing his length, sucking him and then licking and sucking again. He tasted wonderful, slightly salty, and felt so silky in my mouth. I could feel him getting even more rigid, which I didn't think was possible. His hips were flexing constantly and he was groaning with abandon, but he didn't thrust.

I kept my hand wrapped around the bottom of his shaft, the part that wouldn't fit into my mouth as he bumped the back of my throat, and squeezed it in time with my bobbing. He let me control his depth. As I relaxed, I could take most of him in and let him bump the back of my throat without gagging. I was taking my time still.

He began murmuring, "So good, Bella… So good… Only in my dreams."

Then he took up groaning again.

My nipples were rock hard and I was leaking fluids at a steady rate now, hearing his words and feeling the waves of his excitement wash over me. I could feel the insides of my thighs becoming slick with my own moisture.

I could tell from his groaning and reactions that I was driving him as crazy as he'd driven me. It put me on a high knowing I could make him feel that way.

Giving him pleasure, was giving me pleasure, I wanted to give him more pleasure. I straddled his leg and began rubbing my sopping wet crotch against the prickly hair of his muscular thigh.

Then it happened. He bumped the back of my throat. I felt my tongue go limp as I tilted my chin up. I put both hands on his hips and closed my eyes. And he slid down my throat. It was like magic. It was like I was dreaming. His shout of utter pleasure and joy vibrated through me. I could feel him throb in my throat.

"Oh Fuck, Bella!" he shouted.

It was as though a haze of pleasure descending on both of us as I raised my head up, sucking fiercely and dropping down to relax again and feel him slid down my throat, hot and silky. My hips undulated against his thigh, pressing my clit between my pubic bone and his hard muscle. My hips slipped and now his knee was grinding into my pubic bone.

The throbbing sensation in my throat was like nothing I'd ever experienced. Each throb created an answering wash of excitement in my body. My abdomen was melting and my nipples were painfully hard. A few more thrusts and I felt him swell in my throat. He cradled my head, cupping the back of my skull with both hands, holding me in place, my lips buried in his pubic hair. He stared down at us as he ejaculated into my throat, holding himself fully embedded in my throat and screamed out my name as his orgasm took over.

My breasts were hanging to the side of his balls when he reached down with both hands and gently squeezed each nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

And I came… really hard…

I lost all control of my muscles and I dug my nails into his hips, my tremors forced my head back as I shouted a wordless shout and bucked on his knee. I came back to earth, panting, holding myself on all fours, barely.

I crawled up his body and flopped onto this torso, both of us taking a moment to get our breathing under control.

"Wow," he croaked out and I couldn't help but chuckle at how out of breath he sounded.

Wrapped around our naked selves, we whispered words of our love to each other before we fell asleep.

The morning was a little hectic; everyone ate breakfast quickly and then took off to get ready for the courthouse. It was only ten when Edward came and kissed me goodbye.

"I'll see you at the courthouse," he murmured before leaving with Carlisle and Jasper.

Esme walked in while Alice was curling my hair and told me she was taking Emma with them while I got ready.

"Emma is fine with me, we'll be back before one," Esme smiled and kissed me gently on the cheek.

I kissed Emma before they left, and Rosalie and Alice finished getting me ready.

Rosalie kept my make-up light, natural, and painted a French tip on my fingers and toes.

Alice curled my hair so it lay against my back in big waves. She had it parted off to the side and held away from my face with a blue hibiscus flower – that matched the sash on my dress – tucked behind my ear and pinned into place.

"OK, let's get you into your dress," Rosalie said after she made sure my polish was dry.

After zipping up the back Rosalie and Alice made sure the sash was in the correct spot before they both left the room to get themselves ready.

I stepped into my Manolo Blahnik, open toed with jeweled brooch detail, white stain heels and stood in front of the mirror, shocked with disbelief.

I couldn't believe the person I was looking at was actually me.

I looked beautiful, and even though we had rushed the wedding, I wouldn't change my dress for anything. It was perfect and completely me. My make-up was light and my hair simply but beautiful.

I never wanted a big wedding or twenty thousand dollar dress; I only wanted to be married to a man who loved me as much as I loved him, and I know I found that person in Edward.

A knock on the door pulled me from my musing and I turned to see my brother standing in the doorway.

"Hey," I said and took in his outfit. He had on a tan pair of dress Khaki's and white dress shirt. It was untucked and the top two buttons were unbuttoned – very beach wedding and I smiled. "You look good."

"Bella," he said aw, causing me to blush. "You look beautiful, little sis."

My cheeks warmed even further under his flattery and I shyly looked at my shoes. "Thanks."

"I mean it," he walked over to me and lifted my chin. "You make a very beautiful bride, Belly Bear. Edward's a lucky man," his voice cracked slightly.

"Thank you, Emmett," I said and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

His grip on me tightened and I immediately felt tears spring to my eyes.

"Don't make me cry, Em or I'm going to sick Rosalie on you," I teased, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I know… I'm sorry… it's just," he paused to pull back and wipe his face. "I feel that I let you down so much by not noticing what was happening with you," I went to interrupt but he shook his head, "it was my job to protect you and I didn't, James hurt you so much…"

"Emmett stop," I pleaded. I hated to see him suffering because of my.

"It's true, Bella, I failed to protect you," he wiped at his face and it was a few minutes before he spoke again. "But I honestly feel that there is no way that Edward would hurt you," he looked at me and smiled, "he loves you like I love Rose."

"I know he does and thank you for being happy for me, Em."

He and I hugged again before Rose came in and asked if I was ready to go.

"Where's Esme?" I asked as Emmett helped me down the stairs.

"She's already there, Alice left a few minutes ago and told her I was going to take you," my brother said.

"I've got your passport and ID, Bella," Rosalie smiled and we walked out to the car.

We had been driving for about twenty minutes when I realized Emmett was going the wrong way.

"Emmett, this isn't the way," my eyes starting looking frantically out the window. "We need to be at the King County Courthouse."

"I just need to stop someplace really quick."

"Emmett, I'm going to be late," I couldn't keep the panic out of my voice. "Carlisle said I needed to be there before two."

"We're almost there, sis. It'll only take a minute," his voice was calm but my eyes kept flashing towards the clock that was telling me I was going to be late.

"Emmett, we don't have time for this, I really need to be at the courthouse," I shrieked.

"Bella, calm down... I promise you are going to be in time for your wedding," he tried to assure me as we pulled into a long driveway.

I had never seen this house before and wondered who Emmett knew that lived here.

He parked the car and Rosalie told me to come with them.

"Guys, we really need to go," my voice strained from my anxiety.

"It'll be quick, Bella," Rosalie urged.

Reluctantly I stepped out and followed her around the house, and stopped dead in my tracks as we hit the back yard.

Flowers lined the walk way that led to where a few chairs wrapped in white silk, were set-up in front of a small gazebo that was decorated with ribbons and twinkling lights. It was a gorgeous wooden design that had a high arch where the most handsome man stood underneath it, nervously talking with Carlisle.

My breath hitched as I realized what I was looking at.

"Surprise, honey," Esme said as she seemed to have appeared from thin air.

"I don't understand," I said quietly, still in shock and taking in all that was in front of me.

"Richard and Helen are friends of ours, dear, and I happened to help her design this yard specifically for small functions. When she heard Richard talking to Carlisle about your wedding, she insisted that we have the wedding here."

She continued to smile at me before I launched myself into her arms.

"Oh my God... this is... its amazing Esme," I cried softly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she hugged me back.

"I can't believe you guys did this for us," I continued to feel small tears roll down my cheeks.

"It was nothing," she said simply and pulled back. "Come in and meet Richard. Edward has already filled out his part of the paperwork and all that's left is your part for your license to be complete. After your vows, the both of you, your witnesses and Richard will sign the certificate and then it'll be official."

She led me to a side door that connected to an office.

I wasn't really sure what all Richard had said to me because my mind was still reeling from my surprise. I remember I hugged him like he had been my friend for years and he explained how I was to fill out my form.

After all the paper work was finished and Richard said we could proceed, Esme and Emma walked over to me and handed me a small bouquet of flowers.

"Mama, pretty," my daughter smiled when she reached me.

I smiled back and crouched down so I could hug her to me.

"Thank you, sweet pea... you look very pretty, too."

A soft piano song began playing and Esme informed me it was time.

She walked out first and instructed Emma to wait until Uncle Emmett said she could walk.

I turned to face my brother and couldn't keep the smile from my face.

"You knew?"

"Yeah... and if it's any consolation, Edward cried too," he tried to tease but I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Really?"

My brother took my arm and hooked it through his.

"Yeah... he was so happy you wouldn't have to be married in a courtroom. He was pretty much beating himself up over it."

My heart sunk at that thought.

"But I wouldn't have cared where we were married at, he knows that right." My voice cracked as I was overcome with emotion.

"He does... and that's why he was crying. You're the most unselfish person any of us knows, and you deserved a lot more than a courtroom wedding."

"Is that why everyone did this?"

He shrugged before telling Emma to walk to her dad.

Her beautiful curly hair bobbed along her dress as she made her way to the gazebo.

"We all love you, Belly Bear," he leaned over and kissed me on my cheek and led me outside. "You didn't deserve to be married in a stinky courthouse, and when Edward heard what Esme did for you guys..." he stopped mid sentence and shook his head.

"What?" I asked as I stepped off the one step that led onto the walkway.

"He just loves you so much and I know that if dad were here, he'd have given his blessing."

The mention of my dad released the tears that had been threatening to spill over. Even though my dad was not physically here, I know in my heart both my parents are watching over us and smiling.

"Don't cry, sis," he tried to choke back his own tears.

"It's ok... they're happy tears I promise," I said, then my eyes landed on Edward and I smiled.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, the tears still rolled down my face but my smile never left as my eyes stayed locked with Edwards.

We made it to the gazebo and I carefully walked up the few steps that separated me from my soon-to-be-husband.

Emmett stood back when we stopped in front of Richard, and shook Edwards' hand before turning to me and hugging me nice and long before taking one hand of mine and placing it in Edwards.

Edward briefly let go of my hand only to bring his up to my face and wipe my tears. My heart melted at such a sweet gesture, I couldn't help but cry some more.

"I don't think I can stop," I laughed out, causing everyone to chuckle with us.

Edward had a few of his own slip out and I quickly wiped them away.

"You are simply breathtaking, love" he murmured and be both clasped our hands together and faced Richard.

He performed the ceremony beautifully, speaking about love and eternity. He mentioned some things about my parents and spoke directly to me when he said he knew they were with us today. He even had to clear his throat when he was finished.

It came down to our vows and he asked Edward to repeat after him.

"Actually, Richard there's something I need first," Edward stopped him and turned to Emmett.

My brother looked at me and smiled before he reached in his pocket and handed something to Edward.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly and grabbed my left hand. I felt him begin to slide something cold on my finger and I gasped as I realized he had gotten me a ring. I looked down and could believe how perfect it looked on my finger. It's like he read my mind when he bought it, not big and flashy but elegant and perfect for me.

"Now I'm ready," he beamed.

My eyes never left Edwards' as he repeated everything Richard said, and the minute he said "I do", I felt warmth wash through me at his words, and shiver race down my spine.

Richard then turned to me but before he could start I copied Edward's words.

"I need something first," I winked at Edward and turned to Rosalie.

She smiled at Edward before handing me his ring.

His mouth dropped opened as I began to slide the ring on his finger.

"Now I'm ready," everyone chuckled as I mimicked his words from earlier.

I repeated the vows that Edward had said to me only moments ago and was met with the most gorgeous smile as I said "I do".

"Now, by power invested in me by God and the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Edward and I smiled big, never breaking eyes contact. "You may now kiss the bride."

Edward didn't have to be told twice, his hands eagerly cupped my face and he smashed his lips to mine. We kissed, slow and tender, and then deep and hungry, then back to slow and tender, our tongues dancing together.

After we broke apart everyone came up for hugs and congratulations.

I thanked everyone and Helen led us on the back deck, where things were set-up.

It was beautiful.

There was an area where Esme took pictures, a dance floor where Edward twirled around with Emma most of the afternoon, a table with a huge cake that Alice managed to get for us that sat next to a picture of my parents.

The entire day had been beautiful and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Richard and Helen informed me of how they were able to pull some strings and helped me and Edward bypass most of the requirements for our marriage. I cried of course when they told me, I couldn't seem to thank them enough for everything they had done.

Alice and Jaspers gifts were the cake and music selection.

Rosalie and Emmett got me and Edward the Honeymoon Suite at the Grand Hyatt for two nights.

"Don't worry, Bella," Emmett said when he saw my hesitation. "I don't have any classes and she'll be with me and Rosalie the whole time."

"It'll be fine, love," Edward leaned over and kissed my temple.

"I know," I sighed and kissed him back after thanking Emmett and Rosalie.

Carlisle and Esme's gift was the one that took my breath away. They had informed me that the adoption process would take a year from the date of marriage before it would be official, but because Carlisle and Richard knew certain people, Edward and I wouldn't have to wait that long at all.

In fact we would only have to wait a week and then it would be legal, Emma would officially be Edward's daughter.

Everything seemed too good to be true but Richard assured me that everything was legal, he just had 'his people' speed things up, pretty much cut out the middle men and when straight to the big dogs, Emmett's words not mine.

It had started to get dark and Alice brought out a bag she had packed for me and Edward so we could go straight to the hotel.

We said good-bye to everyone and kissed Emma a few more times before we drove off and made it to the hotel where we were going to spend our first night together as husband and wife.

* * *

**A/N: Love it, hate it... let me know... please!!!**  
**I love reviews!!!**  
**What did you think of the lemons?  
****I figured it was about time for some lovin' between the two. **  
**More are coming for the wedding night of course. **

**Also, just so you know...**

**There is NOTHING wrong with a courthouse wedding...**

**I was married in a courthouse and loved it all the same. **  
**But for the story it couldn't happen that way, but i want you all to know**  
**I am not bashing courthouse weddings!**


	24. Chapter 24

******Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer **

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. **

**I had to re-write this a few times and then because it was so long,  
I divided it into two parts... but I assure you it was worth the wait.**

**Also, Twilighted are being grammar Natzi's and I'm having a hell of a time  
getting my chapters validated. So if by any chance my story is removed here,  
I also have it up at TWCS... .com**

**Happy reading, my lovelies. **

* * *

**BPOV **

There was a yearning in our kisses as we made our way through the hotel room door. A yearning that came from years of wanting what we thought we couldn't have. I could feel it in the way his mouth devoured mine. He quickly stripped me of my dress and I flung my shoes off my feet before we landed on the mattress.

Breaking from the kiss his mouth moved along my jaw and began to travel downward, tasting the creamy white skin that was revealed to him.

Placing a soft kiss just below my navel, his eyes met mine and he held my gaze.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" he asked as he skimmed a possessive hand across my stomach and let it settle on the silk covering my breast. "I've wanted to make love to you for so long... I almost can't believe it's finally happening."

"It's real. It's happening..." I said as I reached up to grasp the collar of his shirt with one hand and cup him through his pants with the other "...and you're wearing too many clothes."

He jerked at my touch and his breath hissed out between clenched teeth as he pushed himself into my hand. He was hard as a rock, had been since I backed him up against the door when we made it to the elevator.

I pushed against his chest to make him move so he was underneath me and started to unbutton his shirt. Feeling his warm skin under my fingers I realized I wasn't moving fast enough, my mouth crashed down onto his, and I grasped each side of his shirt and pulled it apart, sending buttons flying.

Surging up off the bed he grasped my waist and I pulled the shirt from his shoulders and. Once free, his hands came up to caress my breasts, while my fingers wandered across the wide expanse of his chest, then down the taut muscles of his stomach.

"I want to feel your skin on mine," my voice was rich with lust as I reached behind and unclasped my bra, throwing it to the side.

His hands caressed the smooth skin of my breasts and when his thumbs brushed my nipples I let out a gasp and arched into his touch. Faster than I ever thought possible his mouth descended on my left breast, his tongue moving in circles, slowly getting closer to his target.

My hands had tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, and when I felt his teeth close over my nipple and gently tug I let out a ragged moan. My hands moved up and down his back, feeling the muscles bunch and pull as he held me to him and feasted on first one breast and then the other. The touch of his hands and mouth on my body was driving me to the edge.

If my body was a bundle of nerves, those nerves all seemed to lead to one place and that place was my now throbbing center. I could feel the tension building in me and the need to have him inside was growing by the second. Bracing my hands on his shoulders I pushed him back down to the bed, his mouth unlatching from my breast with an audible pop. Smiling I followed him down to the bed and hovered over him.

"Edward, you're still wearing too many clothes," I said as I slowly trailed kisses down his jaw and throat.

Moving lower I reined kisses across his chest, my fingers running through the sprinkling of hair there. As my tongue ran over first one, then the other nipple I felt him shiver and I reveled in the power I held over him, knowing that he held the same power over me. As I followed the small trail of hair down his stomach I heard his shoes hit the floor as he kicked them off.

My eyes roamed over his body taking in the sight of him lying naked and erect before me. His skin was the color of bronze and stretched taut over hard muscles. His wide chest tapered down to a narrow waist and into long, lean legs, to put it simply, he was gorgeous. And he was all mine.

Settling beside him, I draped a leg across his and as my hand wrapped around his hard length and began to stroke him, I heard him suck in a quick breath.

His hands came up to tangle in my hair and his voice sounded strained as he said, "Bella, I need to be inside you."

"I need you too, Edward," I rushed out in a shaky breath.

"Do you want me to wear a condom?"

He seemed to be nervous as he asked.

I smiled reassuringly at him and shook my head.

"I've been on the shot since Emma was born."

Before I knew it, I was engaged in another kiss that, if possible, was even hotter and wetter than those that preceded it. His tongue stroked my bottom lip greedily demanding entrance, which I granted.

Our tongues tangled back and forth and when my teeth raked across his bottom lip, he rolled us on the bed, once more reversing our positions.

His body was draped over mine, his weight pushing me down into the mattress and my arms were wrapped around him tight.

I could feel his erection through the tiny swatch of silk that was still separating us and I arched my hips wanting nothing more than to feel him sinking into me.

Pulling back from me a bit, he ran his hand down my stomach and beneath the panties I was still wearing. His fingers tangled in the thatch of curls he found there and slowly slid between the folds of my sex. As his finger found the small bundle of nerves and slowly circled it he was rewarded by drawing a moan out of me that sounded like some sort of mix of God and his name. Gazing down at me, he slowly slid first one, then two fingers inside.

God, I was so incredibly hot and wet that I was practically dripping. He saw my hand flail, and then finally find its target as it wrapped around his length and slowly stroked him from root to tip. Then it was his turn to groan a barely intelligible version of my name.

As he continued to stroke me it felt like he was building a fire inside me and every time his thumb brushed the little bundle of nerves above my sex, a small ripple of pleasure radiated throughout my entire body.

I tried to keep pace with him, stroking his length, which felt like hot velvet over hard steel. But he was driving away my ability to think and to act with any coordination. With every stroke of his fingers, I was closer to falling over the edge and I could tell by the way his hips were thrusting into my hand and by how ragged his breathing had become, that he was close too. But I wanted us to come together and I wanted to feel him inside me when we did.

Pulling my hand away from him, I cupped his face and pulled him down for a gentle kiss.

"Now, Edward. I want you inside me."

He nodded his assent and kissed me long and hard and deep, as if I were granting him his dying wish. Slipping his fingers from my body he quickly stripped the panties off and down my slightly trembling legs.

Then he was poised above me. Resting on his elbows, his penis gently pushing at my entrance my hands ran up and down his back and settled on his hips. Biting my bottom lip I looked up at him and pulled his hips toward me.

He locked his gaze with mine as he sank into my warm, welcoming depth and immediately my senses went on overload, the stretching of my insides, the gentleness of his touch, and the look in his eyes.

The look in his eyes told me I was the only thing in his world, the only thing that mattered, the way he felt inside me, was as if I had been made only for him.

My eyes never left his as he slid into me, filling me in a way I had never been filled before. Our foreheads were now resting together as we adjusted to the sensations that had over taken both of us.

I had never felt as complete as I did right at that moment.

Lifting his head, he looked into my eyes again as he slowly pulled out until only the head of his rock hard shaft was still inside of me.

"I love you, Bella," he said as he slowly thrust back into me.

I felt my inner muscles clamp down on him in response to his words and my legs came up to wrap around his hips.

Setting a slow pace he continued to move in and out, chanting "Love you...love you..." on every thrust.

I arched my hips meeting him thrust for thrust.

His maddeningly slow pace was driving me insane and I found myself grasping his hips to try and speed up the pace.

"Edward..." I moaned breathlessly, "faster..."

Not one to deny me anything, he picked up the pace and was rewarded when a long drawn out moan escaped my lips. My nails dug into his back, as my legs wrapped around him like a vice and with each thrust my inner muscles grip him like a fist, milking him for all he was worth.

"You're so fucking tight, love... God you feel amazing," Edward growled, his hot breathe tickling my neck.

I could feel myself approaching the edge. With each meeting of our bodies I felt a tension building in me, coiling tighter and tighter. My breath was coming in little gasps and my body was beginning to tingle all over. I was on the verge of falling into oblivion and I had never craved it so much.

Just when my body was swept over the edge and the spasms of pleasure coursed through my body, he sped up. He rode out my orgasm with me thrusting hard and deep before I felt the muscles in his back tighten and his breath against my neck quicken. He thrusted a few more times before his entire body jerked and stilled; his orgasm hitting him powerfully while he called my name.

We held each other tightly until our breathing returned to normal, and Edward reluctantly moved his hips to pull himself out of me. We both grunted at the loss.

He rolled over so he was on his back and brought me with him, holding me against his chest.

"That was... fucking amazing, love," he breathed out, and I couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

"My thoughts exactly."

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen."

His hands were rubbing up and down my arms softly.

I tilted my head slightly so I could kiss along his jaw line.

"I love you, Mr. Cullen."

We made love two more times that night before we eventually drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up Edward was laying next to me, our facing inches apart, his deep emerald pools were gazing lovingly at me.

"Morning, love," he whispered and lightly brushed his lips with mine.

"Morning," I moaned against his lips before he pulled back.

"I ordered us room service."

He smiled down at me as his hand brushed the hair off my face and gently placed it behind my ear, his fingertips lingering at the base of my neck. His thumb rubbed small circles along my jaw and I felt my cheeks heat up with memories of last night running through my mind.

Nothing could compare to making love with Edward.

Nothing.

He had been gentle and sweet, but passionate and intense. The connection we shared while making love was stronger than I could ever have imagined.

I smiled and stretched my neck to kiss his lips.

Nature chose that time to call, and I hesitantly sat up.

Before I had a chance to swing my legs over the edge of the bed, Edwards arms wrapped tightly around me keeping me anchored to the mattress.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he nuzzled my neck, rubbing his rough stubble on my sensitive flesh.

"I was going to take a bath and you can join me if you like." I turned into his embrace and kissed him.

"Mmm," he moaned against me squeezing tighter, "That sounds like a great idea."

He didn't seem to want to let go but I really needed to take a bath. I tried to pull away and he continued to hold me tight. We wrestled playfully until I managed to get away from his grasp.

"Ha," I gloated as my arms and legs broke free and I stood up. .

I began to run the bath water, added a few drops of bubble bath and set a few candles. I heard Edward let out a tiny moan as I stepped into the water, and couldn't help but smile at the affect I had on that man, and gave him a tiny smirk.

He simply growled playfully and slid in behind me, immediately he pulled me up against him. I settled comfortably between his thighs, enjoying the feeling of the hot water on my skin and the feel of Edwards' body against mine.

"This feels nice," I sighed.

"I was thinking the same thing," he agreed quietly and kissed the side of my head. "I don't think you're ever going to bathe without me again, though."

I laughed softly and grabbed the bar of soap and washcloth, and slowly worked up a lathe.

I motioned for Edward to lift his right leg out of the water and place his foot on the side of the tub.

I slowly began to wash his leg, making sure not to miss a spot, and then showed the same amount of attention to the other leg. Edward groaned in appreciation so I increased the pressure of my strokes earning a few groans of appreciation. When I finished with his legs I started on mine, that process was much more for his benefit than mine. I grabbed my left leg behind the knee and slowly brought it out of the water, pointing my toes to the ceiling as I took my time running the cloth up and down my leg. I could feel how much he was enjoying it, and made sure to go extra slow on my right leg.

By the time I had finished thoroughly cleaning my legs, Edward was panting heavily against my neck and his grazing his teeth against my skin.

I giggled quietly when he called me a minx and grabbed the wash cloth from my hand.

He had me lean forward and proceeded to wash my back and shoulders before he made his way to the front of my body where he paid much more attention to that part of my body.

When he finally finished washing my breasts, I turned around to take the cloth from him. I pulled him against my body as if I was going to hug him, but placed the cloth against his skin so I could wash his back and shoulders.

I took my time while I washed his chest, my eyes raked over the muscles underneath my fingers greedily. Edward had an amazing body and I planned on exploring every inch while I washed him. His breathing started to quicken as the cloth began to lower down his beautiful stomach and follow the trail of hair that led to his very erect member. The bubbles had pretty much disappeared by then and I could see everything my hand touched.

I reached for his cock in order to wash him and bit my lip when Edward hissed and slightly bucked in my hand. As much as I wanted to let that man ravage me, I needed to get us cleaned. I continued down his thighs and tried as hard as I could to ignore the lust practically radiating off him.

As soon as I finished with his body, I washed his face and hair, using the detachable shower head to rinse him off.

He repeated the same to me before I settled back into his embrace and we simply held each other.

The water was starting to cool down and a chill stirred in the room so we decided to get out. Edward helped me stand and rinsed us both off before we stepped out of the tub. We dried each other off and as I looked into the mirror while I combed my hair, he walked up behind me and put his arms around my waist, placing a long, gentle kiss on the side of my face.

"You're definitely never going to bathe without me ever again," he teased and walked out of the bathroom.

I quickly finished with my hair and turned to walk out from the bathroom, and ran right into Edward. I wasn't expecting him to be so close and I gasped from surprise, but was quickly silenced with his mouth. I kissed him back and then felt him lift me off the floor and carry me someplace in the room. Next thing I knew, Edward threw me down on the mattress and started to rein feather light kisses along my neck and jaw before entering me in one long stroke.

"Fuck," he growled against my throat after he was fully inside me. "It just keeps getting better."

The huskiness of his voice added to the pleasure and I could only moan.

Edward supported his weight with his right arm thrusting into me long and hard, while his left hand gripped my thigh, raising it off the bed and pressing my thigh against his hip.

He slid much deeper that way.

"Ah, God, Edward," I gasped as the new position forced him to hit a spot that caused my eyes to roll in the back of my head. A few more thrust and I was screaming his name as my orgasm rippled through me.

As soon as my body came down from its high I felt Edward's lips press against mine. I kissed him back, and willing allowed his tongue entrance inside. Our tongues rolled around together while Edward started moving faster, and his grip on my thigh increased pressure.

I knew he was close, and I wrapped both my legs around him and began to roll my hips.

That earned a growl and he took his hand off my thigh and placed it next to my body before he began to slam into me.

I squeezed my legs tighter around his waist and locked my arms around his neck, which lifted myself from the bed and forced our bodies to mold together.

"Harder!" I screamed as another orgasm began to build up.

I couldn't get close enough to him, I needed more of him... the intensity of that need for him scared me a little but the look on Edward's face let me know he needed me just as much.

"I love you, Edward."

He bent his head and kissed me hard.

"I fucking love hearing you say that to me, Bella," he continued to thrust faster. "I love you so much," he growled, his body pounded into mine over and over before my fingers locked onto his hair and I cried out as I felt my walls clench around his length.

"Edward!" I through my head back and screamed as I felt the power of my climax ripple through me.

"Shit, Bella," he yelled as his own orgasm hit.

He slammed into me three more times before his body stilled and he collapsed on top of me. We lay there together both struggling to breath.

"No... Stay," I whispered when he tried to roll off.

"I don't want to crush you," he panted.

"I like your weight on me," I sighed and turned my head so I could kiss his neck.

We stayed that way for a little while until eventually he rolled off but pulled me on top of him.

We ordered rooms service a short time later and spent the time in bed feeding each other, then making love afterwards.

"Will you hand me my cell phone?" I asked through a yawn.

Edward let go of me long enough to reach over and grab it off the side table, then quickly assumed his earlier position, head on my chest and arms wrapped tightly around me.

I giggled at how care-free his face looked and leaned down to place a soft kiss against his hair before I hit send and then pressed speaker.

After two rings my brothers' voice bellowed through the phone.

"_Hey, Belly Bear... you make a man out of Edward yet?"_

I took a sharp intake of breath and felt my face heat up instantly.

Edward's laughter filled our quiet room, while my mouth hung open and I gawked at the phone. I could not believe my brother would say that... actually I could.

A loud -smack- came from the phone followed by Rosalie's voice.

"_Emmett Nathan Swan... Why in the h-e-l-l would you say that to her?"_

"_I was just kidding around babe."_

"_Give me that phone."_

There was a short pause while they passed the phone.

"_Hey, Bella, just ignore your brother."_

Edward was still laying against me, his body finally calmed down from his laughing fit.

"Edward got a kick out of it," I said and ran my fingers through his hair. "How's Emma?"

"_She's good, her and her other half are wrestling right now."_

I laughed as an image of them together flashed in my head.

Rosalie and I chatted for a few minutes before I asked to speak with Emma.

"_Mama!"_ she squealed and I immediately smiled.

"Hey, sweet pea."

"_M&M fall,"_ she started laughing again.

That made Edward smile, too.

"Did you make Uncle Emmett fall down?"

"_Uh huh,"_ she giggled.

"Don't hurt him too bad," I chuckled softly when I heard her laugh and tell him sorry.

"Mama misses you."

"_Miss you,"_ she made a kissing sound then continued, _"Daddy?"_

Hearing her ask for Edward always made me smile but hearing her say daddy made my heart skip a beat. The way Edward's eyes sparkled hearing her ask for him, I could tell he felt the same way.

"Daddy misses you too," I smiled and ran my hand through his hair, while he looked at me. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes," she said enthusiastically.

Edward put his mouth closer to the phone before he started to talk.

"Hi, Baby girl," his beautiful face lit up as he talked to her. "Daddy misses you."

"_Miss you,"_ her beautiful voice rang through the speaker before she giggled again. _"M&M fall."_

"Uncle Emmett fell? Did you get him good?"

"_Uh huh... him silly."_

"Uncle Emmett is silly," Edward's face beamed while he continued to talk with our daughter.

Our daughter... I loved the sound of that, and by the start of next week we both would have his last name.

We heard more people in the background and asked Emma who was there.

"_Ali_," she squealed.

"Aunty Alice is there?" I asked.

"Uh huh... Jazz, too."

"Is nana and papa there?"

"_Nope,"_ she popped her 'p'... compliments of my brother. We made small talk with her until we heard her trying to tackle Emmett again.

"Well I better let you go so you can go play, sweet pea. Mama loves you."

"Daddy loves you too, Baby girl," Edward added.

"_Love you,"_ she sang and then hung up.

The rest of our time in the hotel was spent in bed in each other's arms laying in bed or making love. We never left the hotel room until check out.

I had such mixed feelings as we stood waiting for the valet to bring us the car. I couldn't wait to go home and see my daughter, but a small part of me wasn't ready to leave, our time there was wonderful.

"We'll get away again, love... just the two of us," Edward whispered against my neck when he pulled me in for a hug.

I had enjoyed being alone with Edward and wasn't ready for it to end, but like they say "All good things must come to an end", and unfortunately for us it ended too soon.

"Mr. Cullen?" The valet approached us with an alarmed expression.

"Yeah," Edward said.

"Umm... I think you need to come with me."

The way his voice shook sent my heart plummeting into my stomach. I knew immediately that something was wrong... something was very, very wrong. I grabbed onto Edward as tight as I could while we followed the man into the hotel.

Edward kept asking questions but was given no other answer except that we needed to speak with the manager.

We were led into a cold elevator that took us down into the parking garage.

As soon as the doors opened and we stepped out, I froze in place. I heard two security guards talking to a police officer, I heard Edward's voice say something but my mind was only focused on what I was seeing.

There, not even fifteen feet from us, were the battered remains of Edwards car. Every window was smashed, every light was broken, all tires were flat, his paint had been scratched, and there was even smoke coming from his engine. I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest with how fast and hard it was working. As I looked closer at the hood of the car I could make out what had been scratched into the paint.

"_She is mine!"_

I gasped quietly and tried as hard as I could to choke back the sob that was building in my throat.

I was terrified.

I knew without a doubt in my body who did it and my heart sank even further knowing that James was never going to leave us alone.

My eyes finally shifted from the damaged car when I noticed a police officer hand something to Edward.

"Mother fucker!" I heard Edward snarl.

With shaky fingers I reached over and took what was in his hands. Edward made a move to stop me but I gave him a look that said 'I'm not fucking around', and he reluctantly handed it over.

Tears began to fall before I could even read the letter.

I was staring at a picture of myself in my wedding dress holding Edwards hand, only it wasn't Edwards face that was in the picture, James had glued his on instead.

I flipped to the next photo and screamed before I dropped everything and reached for my phone.

"_Miss us already?"_

"Emmett!" I shouted hysterically.

"_Bella? Bella, what's wrong?"_

"Emmett, get Emma out of the house now!"

"_What happened?"_

"James... he's watching her... pictures... the car... his face..." I couldn't think straight my words were jumbled and I was on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Come here, love," Edward said and pulled me into his arms after taking the phone. I wrapped my arms tightly around him while tears poured down my face.

**EPOV**

I heard Bella scream and watched as her entire body started to shake. I had to take the phone away from her and pull her into my arms as she started talking to Emmett.

I could fucking kill James for what he's doing to her, I have never seen her so scared.

"I've got you," I told her and took a minute just to hold her until I put the phone to my ear.

"_Bella!"_ Emmett was shouting in the phone.

"Emmett, it's me."

"_Edward... what the fuck is happening?"_

"Listen, is Jasper there with you?"

"_Yeah."_

"I need you two to come down to the hotel... is there any way you can take Emma to my parents house?"

"_Rosie and Alice are here.... What's going on?"_

"James... he's been watching you guys... he's watching us all. You need to get Emma out of the house and take her to my parents."

"_What do you mean he's watching her?"_ Emmett growled and told Rosalie to pack up Emma.

"We're down in the parking garage of the hotel, James left a twisted stack of photos for Bella and me," I sighed angrily and pulled Bella closer to me. "He took pictures of us getting married and the sick fuck glued his face over mine. There's a few more like that but the one that scared Bella is the one he took of Emma. She was in front of the window playing with her books."

"_That piece of shit!"_

"Yeah... but that's not what upset Bella... I'm pretty sure that mother fucker just threatened my daughter... he uh... he wrote the words 'Bye Bye' underneath her face," I swallowed thickly. That twisted fuck was threatening my family and I didn't want Bella to know that besides being pissed as hell, I was scared shitless.

"_What?" _I heard both Emmett and Jasper say.

"Do you have me on speaker?"

"_Yeah... don't worry Rosalie's loading Emma in Alice's car, Jasper and I are following them there then going to head to the hotel." _

"He took another one of her while she was eating carrots in the backyard with you guys. He wrote the same shit on it."

"_Carrots..." _Emmett said panicky, _"Wearing a pretty blue shirt and pony tail?"_

My mouth went dry. "Yeah."

"_That was today... that fucker was here today, and I didn't even see him anywhere."_

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed, the situation was frustrating as hell. Bella pulled back a little when an officer approached us.

"Hang on a second," I told Emmett.

"Mr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen? Officer Bleaker wanted me to let you know he's on his way." I nodded. "I'm Officer Dale," he turned his attention to Bella, "I went to the academy with your dad." Bella smiled and reached out to shake his hand. "He was great man and an even better cop, I promise you we're going to do everything we can to get this psycho but we're going to need your help. Do you think you could answer a few questions for me?"

"Yes," her voice sounded so tiny it threatened to break my heart.

"Let me get off the phone with Emmett," I started but she stopped me.

"No, you need to fill him in... I don't think I could do it," she whispered.

I pulled her back into my arms and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll be right there as soon as I'm off the phone," I promised her.

"OK, I love you."

"I love you." I kissed her lips before she walked with the officer and I turned back to the phone. "Where are you guys now?"

"_About two minutes away. Jasper just called your mom and dad, Carlisle and his friend are on their way."_

"Damn... I wanted him to stay with Emma.

"_Don't worry, nobody is getting into that house and if he even tries it... well, let's just say Rosalie is packing."_

"No shit?" I said in disbelief.

"_Ever since that shit about the attacks on campus went down last term, I've made sure she was protected."_

"Good... your sister is talking to an officer right now but umm... Emmett, there was more than just photos," I paused briefly. "He scratched _"She is mine"_ into the hood of my car and left a letter. I haven't got a chance to read it; Bella took it from me before I even finished looking at the pictures."

"We're parking right now, how do we get down to the garage?"

I asked the hotel manager and then told Emmett, a minute later him and Jasper were walking over to us.

"Where's my sister?"

"She's still talking to Officer Dale."

"Dale? My dad's old friend?" I nodded. "Good, at least I know this shit's going to be handled right."

"Where are the pictures?" Jasper asked and I led him over to the car.

"Bastard," I heard Emmett mumble when he saw what was written on the hood. "I'll fucking kill him first before he touches either of them."

The three of us stood in front of the car looking at the sick pictures.

"He put his face and leaves behind a letter... it shouldn't be too hard nailing his ass now," Jasper said.

"No shit... the tricky part it going to be catching this fucker," I added.

"That was taken yesterday," Emmett growled when he saw the first picture of Emma.

Our anger grew with every picture and by the time we saw the letter we were all fuming.

_Angel,_

_You were mine before you were his.  
I told you what would happen if he touched you again.  
Now you get to make a choice which one dies.  
I'm coming to get you, Angel.  
Nothing and no one will ever keep us apart.  
You are mine!  
And I'll see you soon. _

"I'm going to kill that bastard," Emmett roared before his fist hit the wall.

"She doesn't see this," I demanded the two of them. "Understand... she doesn't ever see this."

They didn't answer but I knew they agreed. I folded the note and placed it in my pocket.

"Edward," I turned around to see my father walking over.

The guys and I filled him in on the pictures and the letter; he was just as pissed as us.

"Edward, this is Phil Dwyer, he's an old friend of mine and Charlie's."

We all shook his hand.

"Carlisle let me know what has been going on and I'm more than happy to be getting my hands dirty on this."

Carlisle looked at him briefly. "I haven't mentioned you to them before. You might want to 'properly' introduce yourself, but I think that should be done at my house."

"I agree. I'm going to get started then and I'll meet you back at your house around nine."

He gave us all a nod and then turned and left.

"Who was that?" Emmett asked as we started walking towards Bella.

"He's a private investigator," he looked at us quickly then shifted back to Bella.

She was still talking to the officer with her head down and when she heard us approaching she looked up. When her eyes settled on Emmett she took off in a sprint and jumped in his arms.

"He's never going to leave us alone," she cried.

I saw the look in Emmett's eyes and knew it killed him to have her so scared of James.

"I won't let him hurt you, sis... I promise."

Officer Bleaker had shown up and I gave him my statement while Bella was with her brother. I went over everything that Bella told me about her past with James and showed him the pictures. I kept the letter out of it. He let me know that they were getting a copy of the surveillance video from the garage and would call me after they watched it.

"I want you to call me if anything happens."

"I will thank you." He walked with me to meet with my family.

Bella was clearly still shaken up and I was glad they told us we could leave. Since Carlisle rode over with Phil, we all loaded up in the jeep. Emmett and I sat in the back with Bella between us. She curled herself against my side but held onto Emmett's hand.

We had barely taken off when jasper turned around to look at Bella.

"I think I need to tell you what I know about James," he said regretfully.

Jasper had already told me and Emmett and I wanted to wait as long as I could before Bella ever had to hear about James again, but it was a needed conversation, even if I hated it.

"I met James when we were kids; he moved in with a family a few houses down from me."

Bella lifted her head off my shoulder and faced Jasper completely.

"Everything he told you about his life was a lie, Bella. James didn't grow up with an abusive father, both his parents went to prison when he was little and he was forced into foster care. I met him during school and we seemed to hit it off right away. He and I both liked baseball, and the same music... he was a pretty cool kid. Through-out the time I knew him he had been a good friend, but seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble, whether at school or at home."

I felt Bella stiffen up while Jasper talked about James and I asked her if she wanted to stop.

"We understand, Bella, you don't have to do this now," I looked at her lovingly.

"I'm OK," she smiled at me.

"Are you sure?" She nodded. "It's just not easy hearing about him."

I leaned down to kiss her before Jasper continued.

"In the seventh grade James started to do more serious things to get in trouble and unfortunately I went a long with most of them. We started smoking cigarettes, ditching school; we stole a few times... it kept escalating from there. I had been suspended a few times because of the things we were doing and my parents were really starting to get pissed.

"During the start of our eighth grade year I had snuck out to meet with James so we could go to this party. What I didn't know was that James had stolen a car before he met up with me. Somehow the police found him and I happened to be with him. I didn't get in trouble with the cops because I didn't have anything to do with it but my parents were livid. We ended up moving to Forks the next week. James was put into juvenile detention and that was the last time I saw him until he showed up the summer before he started school with us."

"So, his dad never beat him?"

"No, his foster dad was a really nice guy. Both his and his wife... they tried their best with him. Whenever he'd get in trouble he never got hit, they would only ground him... and even then it'd only be for a day or two. They went to church with us ever Sunday, invited us to dinner and stuff. They were nice."

I saw Bella look at her lap and swallow thickly.

"Do you know why he was on Parole?"

"No, he never mentioned it when he showed up in Forks. The story he gave you about helping his aunt... well that's what he told me. I assumed it was his foster parent's family."

The rest of the ride back was pretty much silent.

I could tell Bella was processing everything she had just heard. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to learn everything you knew about a person turned out to be a complete lie.

James was a master manipulator and played with Bella's emotions easily. He knew she had a heart of a saint and he used the sympathy card, playing a victim of abuse.

By the time we got back to the house, it was past eight. Alice had ordered dinner and we all ate in the living room.

Bella quickly scooped up Emma as we walked inside and held her in her lap while she sat next to me and Emmett as we ate.

No one talked about anything while Emma was in the room and when she started to doze off Bella said she was going to lay her down.

"I'll do that sweetheart," my mom offered.

"No, I've got it."

"Bella, Phil is going to be here and I think it'd be a good idea if you sat in on the conversation," my dad said softly. We all knew how hard this was on Bella and every one of our hearts was hurting for her.

Bella looked down at Emma and then back to my mom with sad eyes.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," my mom came around and hugged her. "I'll stay with Emma until you're finished."

Bella released a deep breath and then kissed Emma before she handed her to my mom.

Rosalie and Alice both rushed over and sat next to Bella each one holding her hand, letting her know that they were there for her.

A few moments later the door bell rang and Jasper walked in the room with Phil.

He greeted us all and introduced himself to the girls.

"Technically, I'm a private investigator but I have certain skills and training that make me better equipped at my job than others."

Him and my dad exchanged a look before he continued, looking between Bella and Emmett.

"I met your dad in '88, right after Emmett was born. He had been investigating a case that came across our sector and we ended up working together... you see... I'm CIA... well I was until about four years ago, when I got shot and lost some use in my left arm. Anyway, let's just say because of my certain skills I'm able to find out most information that stays hidden. It's what I specialized in."

We all sat wide-eyed, each one of us equally surprised by his admittance.

"When Carlisle called me a few days ago to ask for my help, I didn't hesitate and I immediately started searching for information." He turned to look at Bella. "I was told parts of your story but I think it'd be good if you could tell me the rest. Do you feel up to it? I know today must have taken a lot out of you."

Bella looked at him and smiled softly.

"Thank you, but anything that could help us catch him, needs to be done now."

She sat with her brave face and held onto the girls hands while she re-told her story once again. I saw Phil narrow his eyes during parts of her story and could tell he was trying to reign in his anger. We all were. Bella's nightmare never got easy to hear, and by the time she was finished Rosalie and Alice were in tears, while all us guys were ready to draw blood.

Jasper filled him in on what he knew about James and then we waited for Phil to start talking.

He took a few deep breaths, I was sure to calm down, and then looked at Bella, who still held her brave face.

"I want to tell you that I am so sorry you had to go through any of that." Bella nodded appreciatively and then Phil continued. "The things I'm going to tell you are a bit shocking, and at any time you feel that it's too much, you need to speak up and I'll stop."

"I will," she whispered.

"This isn't going to be easy to hear, Bella... Marcus is a very dangerous guy; he comes from a very dangerous family."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked meekly. I noticed she tensed up and gripped on to Rosalie and Alice tighter.

"Marcus' birth parents are Aro and Irina Volturi... owners of Volturi Inc. It's a company that specializes in making weapons... but that wasn't there true occupation."

Bella looked at him wide eyed, anxiously waiting for him to finish.

"Aro is head of the Italian mafia, Bella... he's killed more people than you could imagine. They've all played major roles in even more drug operations. The entire family moved back to Italy when he and Irina were arrested for drug trafficking when Marcus was two; it was the only thing we were ever able to stick them with. But Irina died in prison five years ago from pneumonia, and Aro was able to make parole in January, due to health issues. It seems he's dying of lung cancer."

"So, does James know all this?" Emmett asked but Phil kept his eyes on Bella.

"I looked into Marcus' background and after he went to juvenile detention things got more severe with him. He started robbing people, breaking into cars, carrying knives to school, but because he was a juvenile nothing major happened to him, until the night of his birthday.

"Marcus wanted Steve, his foster dad, to give him money so he could move out now that he was an adult. You see anything that Marcus wanted, he always got. Most people would think he was spoiled, but it turns out Steve knew for quite some time who Marcus' real family was and had been threatened to keep him happy. That's why his punishments were never harsh. When Steve told him he didn't have any money, Marcus flipped out and started attacking him... he beat him pretty bad too, it almost killed him."

Bella gasped and shook her head.

"Do you need to stop, love?" I asked as I kneeled beside her.

I cupped her face in my hands trying to calm her down. It took a few moments but then she shook her head.

"No, I want to finish this."

Phil nodded and continued.

"Marcus was locked up for assault and was going to serve major time, when out of nowhere this fancy lawyer comes in and manages to plea it down to assault four, the lesser charge, and he had to serve about sixty days and got two years probation. When he was released Sebastian Volturi, a cousin of the family, came to visit him and told him all about his family. It seems Marcus was more than eager to take over for Aro at running things. He started going to the prison to meet with him and learn things about the family.

"That's how he ended up in Forks. His aunt that he came to live with was actually a cousin of Irina's who needed help after her husband died. The Italians are all about family and since Marcus was the only one not in prison and who lived in the U.S it was his job to go help out. Unfortunately for you, Bella, that was also when he saw you.

"No one knew where he disappeared to; Tanya searched everywhere she thought he might be. Marcus was supposed to be looked after tightly because of who he was, and he managed to slip through the cracks here in Forks until you helped locate him two years ago.

"I've been on the phone with Kate Denali, she was Tanya's sister... apparently Tanya died in some freak accident right after James was shipped back to prison. It's all fucked up... he somehow got a hold of the names of the parole board and managed to manipulate everything so he could get early parole. James was supposed to get five years for jumping bail, instead he was paroled in January and his new Parole officer and her husband, who was the judge on his case, let him off parole early right before they both died in another freakish accident. Judge Thomas had a file at his house on Marcus that Irina was able to get and fax over to me."

"Wait a second," Bella interrupted and locked eyes with Phil. "You think James and his family had something to do with their deaths don't you?"

But Phil didn't answer, he only nodded in agreement.

I heard Bella's shaky intake of breath and then her tell him to continue.

He pulled out a file with several pieces of paper inside.

We all huddled around the coffee table while Bella began to spread them out.

Some were case notes on James' behavior in prison but the last two were photo copies of James prison cell.

Everyone in the room gasped, except Bella. Her eyes were glued to the papers, a look of shock written on her features.

Emmett stood up mumbling cuss words and began pacing; Rosalie had tears in her eyes as she walked over and hugged herself to him. Jasper wrapped a sobbing Alice in his arms, while I could do nothing but sit next to Bella as she stared at the photos.

The room quieted down after a few minutes except for a few sniffles from the girls, when Bella finally moved.

Her head turned towards Phil as she stood up, still grasping the photo copies.

"So, you're telling me that I have the son of an Italian mafia king obsessed with me," she said emotionless.

"Yes," he replied softly, a look of sympathy on his face.

"Does his family know about me?"

There was a silence in the room that sent chills up and down my spine. Obviously, Phil didn't want to say it, but he after a few minutes.

"Do they know about Emma?"

"I don't think so," he said cautiously. "From what I've heard about the situation, Marcus doesn't seem to be interested in her... only you."

His words felt like a dagger had been lodged in my chest. I knew James wanted Bella, but to hear it put so bluntly was painful.

"What do you think he's going to do to me?"

Her face as still void of emotion.

"Honestly?" he asked hesitantly. She looked at him and said 'yes'.

"I think he's going to come after you and take you back to Italy with him."

The room was filled with another eerie silence, and my heart was beating so fast, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

"And if someone tried to stop him?" Bella asked and kept her eyes locked with Phil's.

He hesitated for just a fraction of a second and then sighed.

"I don't doubt for one second that he would think twice about killing anyone who tried to stop him."

* * *

**A/N: Remember this is a two parter, and the faster i get those reviews,  
The faster I get to posting.... lol**

_**Evil shinanigans.**_

**But I crave to know what you are thinkin about my story. **


	25. Chapter 25

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: Here is part two, I hope you all enjoy. **

**Can you believe this chapter just put me over 200K... yay!!!**

**I'm so happy you guys are giving my story a chance!!!**

* * *

**EPOV (cont.)**

"_And if someone tried to stop him?" Bella asked and kept her eyes locked with Phil's. _

_He hesitated for just a fraction of a second and then sighed. _

"_I don't doubt for one second that he would think twice about killing anyone who tried to stop him."_

Emmett lunged before anyone could stop him. His hand fisted into Phil's shirt before he landed two punches against his jaw.

"You bastard... she didn't need to hear that shit!"

"Emmett, stop!" Rosalie screamed as she tried to pull Emmett off him.

"She's already scared... you could have just told me, damn it!"

After a few minutes of them wrestling, we were able to separate them; Phil never once tried to fight back.

Emmett was still fuming in the corner of the room when Phil looked at Bella.

"Trust me, Bella; I didn't want to tell you any of this. I hate myself for doing it, but you needed to know what he's capable of."

He was right, but it still didn't change the fact that none of us wanted Bella to be scared.

Phil stayed for a little while longer explaining to us that everyone would be under careful watch. Our houses were under tight surveillance and at any moment someone spotted James, he'd let us know immediately.

Emmett apologized and shook his hand after walking him to the door, Phil said he understood.

"If it was my sister, I'd have done the same thing, but we should all put that energy towards finding this bastard."

"I know," Emmett sighed. "I need you to understand... if I catch him before you guys... he won't be making trial."

The look on Emmett's face was murderous and Phil didn't say anything, just simply nodded his head in understanding before walking outside.

We sat back in the living room slowly digesting the new information, when Bella jumped up and faced the entire family.

"I need you all to promise me something."

Her eyes met all of us and stopped on her brothers.

"If you had to choose between saving my life and saving Emma's, promise me you would save Emma."

"What?!" everyone screamed.

She continued to look around the room at us and the held up the two pieces of paper.

James had decorated his cell wall to wall, floor to ceiling, with pictures of Bella. They had been taken when she lived in Forks; Bella was still attending the high school.

Some were of her walking in the hallways; others were her walking to the bookstore, there was a bunch from prom night at my house that my mom had taken and also the ones from the school. My face had been torn out from the ones I was in with her that night.

The few pictures that had someone else in them with her at school or in town, James had glued his face on them, just like the one he left at the car.

Bella stood glaring at us all and pointed to a few of the photos.

"These were taken before prom, this one was taken while I sat at work, and look at this one Edward," she brought the picture closer to me. "Remember that day, graduation morning... you came over to get me and stole my pop tart." I nodded. "Well James and I had slept together three times that night before he left in the morning and you showed up."

I tried to ignore the way her words stung, I knew she wasn't trying to throw her relationship with him in my face but it hurt all the same to hear about them being intimate.

"Why wouldn't he just stay with me instead of telling me he was going home, why camp outside my house to snap pictures of me... he's fucking crazy that's why! And look at this one," she turned the photo towards Alice.

"This was Halloween night, remember you had Ryan walk me home, the whole way home I felt like I was being watched but I never saw him... then look... look at his one, and this one... he's followed me everywhere... and that's when we were together, what the hell do you think he's doing now that we're not!

"For months I felt like I was being watched. I knew it, I felt it every time I was alone, I even told James about it one night and all he said was that maybe I should stay home more. Fucking bastard was snapping pictures of me the entire time and manipulating the situation so I wouldn't leave my own house... Do you get it? We were in love then, and if he could do that then, I can't even imagine what he's going to do now."

She was breathing really heavy and started to pace the room.

"Bella, I won't let him hurt you," Emmett said and went to stand up but she held her hand out for him to stay.

"I need you to promise me, that you keep Emma safe... even if that means me dying."

No one said anything; my heart was in my throat at the possibility of ever having to make that choice. I couldn't lose her, but I couldn't lose my daughter either. I was getting sicker the longer her demand circled the quiet room.

"If you can't promise me that you would save her over me," Bella said stubbornly, looking as if she was ready to kill. "Then I have to go to him... I'm going to go with James."

"What?!" everyone screamed.

"He wants me... and if it keeps everyone, especially Emma safe... then I'll gladly leave."

"No."

"Then tell me you'll choose her life over mine. I know none of you want think about it but you have to know... if I had to make the choice... I would chose my daughter's life over any of ours. And I expect you all to do the same. If it came down to hers or mine you all better keep her alive."

Emmett suddenly slammed his hand on the coffee, staring daggers at his sister.

"Stop talking like that!" he demanded.

"No!" she shouted back. "You need to all promise me you will save her over me."

"Enough, Bella!" I screamed and stood up.

"Promise me, Edward."

She came and stood in front of me.

"No," I stated and held her gaze. "I won't make that choice."

Out of nowhere Bella's right hand came flying through the air and landed on my cheek, creating a loud – SMACK.

"Promise me!" she seethed.

"No," I repeated and watched her eyes glaze over.

"Fine," she huffed in annoyance and glared at me before addressing the entire room. "If you all can't promise me... then you leave me with no other choice but to go to him."

She turned abruptly on her heels and stormed out of the room. I looked at Emmett and motioned for him to stay before I followed after her. She was half way up the stairs before I reached for her arm and spun her around.

"You're not going anywhere," I growled and gripped her arm tighter when she tried to struggle away.

"Fuck you, if you won't promise to keep her alive then I need to go as far away from her as possible in order to keep her safe."

"You are safe here... _she_ is safe. I won't let anything happen to her and I won't let anything happen to you."

We faced each other on the stairs her back pressed up against the wall, both of us breathing heavily.

"Edward, if I had to choose between your life and hers... I would do it... as much as it would kill me inside for something to happen to you, I would choose her life instead... you have to do the same."

I growled more in frustration than anything and released her arms. Didn't she know how much she meant to me? Didn't she trust me and Emmett to keep her safe?

"Bella," I tried to talk slowly, needing to calm myself down. "If it ever came down to making a choice... I would choose myself... I would beg James to kill me instead."

Bella slapped her hand hard against my face.

"Don't say that shit to me!"

"That's what you're saying to me," I shouted back. "You're telling me to let you die for our daughter, but if it came down to it... I would gladly kill myself to save both your lives."

"Shut up!" Bella screamed and slapped me again. Her hand came up to slap me a third time but I gripped both of her arms.

"Don't you see what you mean to me, Bella?" I yelled and gave her a forceful shake. "I can't live without you... I can't breathe without you!"

"If it meant that it saved our daughters life, then you damn well better let me die."

"No! I don't want to hear this shit anymore," I shook her again and went to walk away.

I made it one step before her hands began to slap every where she could. I spun around and tried to pin her arms to her side but she was a fighter and kept struggling against me.

"You bastard... you better not let her die, Edward," she cried out and kept trying to hit me. Somehow I had managed to get us to the top of the stairs and headed towards our room. It was difficult trying to navigate through the house while preventing Bella from hitting me.

"Stop, Bella... I mean it," I growled as I opened the door and stormed inside.

She continued trying to hit me when finally I slammed us both on the bed, using my weight to keep her still.

"Knock it off!" I shouted in her face.

I had never spoken to Bella so violently but my frustration was out of control and the mere thought of anyone hurting her had my blood boiling.

We stared at each other both of our eyes blazing, when suddenly I was reduced to nothing but a quivering ball of lust and I slammed my lips against hers. Our kiss was hungry and urgent, our tongues battled for dominance. She wrapped her arms and legs around me, forcing us closer together.

I felt my cock throb achingly between us and I began to grind my erection against her, eliciting a deep moan from her. The vibrations raced through my body and I couldn't take anymore.

Not wanting to break the kiss but having the need to get inside her, I started to tear frantically at our clothes. I didn't care what was being torn and ruined, I just needed them off. They were a barrier between me and her and they needed to disappear.

As I tore violently at her clothes, her small hands ripped mine from my body, both of us licked and kissed and bit whatever skin we could find. We were wild... feral... and I was so fucking turned on I thought I was going to explode.

When the last of our clothing was shed, I settled back between her legs. Her hands greedily reached for my ass urging me to enter her... so I did.

The head of my shaft found her opening and I quickly slammed inside.

We both groaned and I reached down with one hand and hoisted her leg higher on my hip, coaxing her to wrap her legs around me, her ankles catching and hooking together behind me.

And then I began to pound into her, fast and hard.

I kept my arm around her waist and the other in her hair. My back bowed up and I crushed her mouth beneath mine as I slid in and out of her.

"Promise me, Edward," she moaned through our kiss, her words causing me to slam into her harder.

I was in a fury of lust pounding as fast and as hard as I could. Her breath was coming in short puffs, both of us equally dizzy with desire.

"Don't... make me... promise... to end... your...life," I said in between violent thrusts.

I began to feel her core squeeze and tease me with a gentle rippling. We both began moaning louder, and I bit down on the curve of her neck as she scratched her nails down my back.

I sped up, hammering myself into her, fucking her savagely now. Her legs were trembling and her pussy was tightening on my shaft. Her orgasm had her screaming and she came harder than I thought possible as her juices sluiced down over my balls. I continued to slam into her impossibly tight tunnel.

"I... won't... let... him... hurt... you," I said through gritted teeth.

She felt so fucking good, and the fact that I was taking her hard like this, only heightened my arousal.

A soft squeal peeled from the back of her throat with each thrust and soon became a long, steady moan as she convulsed under my body again and again. My head spun with pleasure, the pressure in my shaft built, and I felt my balls tighten unbearably in preparation for my own climax.

"Promise me, Edward," she turned her head and bit down when I leaned into to suck her ear lobe in my mouth and I growled. "Fucking promise me... you'll save her... over me."

I experienced a whole body shudder as I felt myself stiffen nearly to the point of pain.

Her hands gripped my ass and she shifted her legs higher up my ribs, forcing my body into hers further.

"Promise me!" She demanded and bit my shoulder again.

Cum rocketed up my shaft as my climax went nuclear. I roared in ecstasy.

"I promise!" and I slammed into her harder than I ever had before.

She opened her mouth against my shoulder, baring her teeth and biting me, for the third time, to keep from screaming as another orgasm rushed through her.

I didn't think I could come any harder than I had in our previous love making.

I was wrong.

I felt blackness tickle the edges of my vision as I emptied my balls deep in her, shooting load after load of my cum inside. My hips jerked, my balls cringed and my cock throbbed mightily and let loose with stinging spurts of cum that I shot deep into her snug, little well. I collapsed on top of her, my face buried in her neck, breathing in her scent.

Minutes, hours, days... who knows, but we laid there unmoving.

Finally I felt her fingers ghost lightly up and down my back. My head was still buried in her neck and I lightly began to rein kisses on her.

I loved the way her skin felt against mine. I loved the way she tasted in my mouth, her sweat mixed with mine, the smell of our sex flowing around us, I loved it all. But I knew my weight had to be crushing her, and I shifted so I laid on my side, both of us groaning as I slipped out of her.

I pulled her back towards me, her head laying on my chest, both my arms encircling her sweaty body.

Her fingers came up and began drawing patterns over my heart.

"I'm sorry I slapped you," her tiny voice broke our silence.

I leaned down and placed a kiss on top of her head.

"It's alright, love... I'm sorry I screamed at you."

My hands rubbed up and down her back, while I placed kisses in her hair and forehead, any place I could reach.

"I love you, Edward," she said quietly.

"I love you, too."

She turned her body so she lay fully on top of me and then pushed her hands against my chest so we were face to face, her chocolate eyes staring deeply into mine.

"You have to know... what I felt for James..." her body shuddered slightly at the mention of his name. "What I felt towards him... is nothing compared to the amount of love I feel for you. It's deeper than love with us... I... I can't explain it with words, but what I feel for you is so powerful sometimes I feel like I'm going to combust, like it's going to swallow us whole."

I smiled up at her, and brought my hand up to cup her cheek. Her eyes started to sparkle with unshed tears before she leaned down and gently pressed her lips against mine.

Neither one of us tried to deepen the kiss... this was enough.

"The intensity of my feelings for you, Edward... it's indescribable... I just... I know it was meant to be, and I have faith that no matter what gets thrown our way, no matter what happens to us, we'll find our way back to each other... in this life or the next."

It felt like she was telling me goodbye, my heart stopped and plummeted in my chest. I quickly grabbed the back of her neck and smashed her mouth to mine.

I kissed her with everything I had in me. I would have kissed her for days if we hadn't needed to stop for air.

She rested her forehead against mine and when I was able to breathe I pushed her back slightly so I could look in her eyes.

"You're not leaving me, Isabella." I felt my eyes sting with tears that threatened to spill but I didn't care, I loved her and I'd be damned if I was going to lose her. "I can see it in your eyes... and I'm telling you right now, you're not leaving me."

She didn't look away as her tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on my own, both mixing together. I cradled her neck in my hands and sat up so she straddled my lap, but didn't break our connection.

"The way you feel about me is the same way I feel about you. I can't picture my life without you in it. I fucking love you so much it hurt to breath sometimes."

I leaned in and kissed her softly. She brought her arms to wrap around my neck and drew me in to deepen the kiss. We shared kisses and light touches before I pulled back.

"You tell me you have faith in us, then show it, Isabella... show me you have faith in us and promise me that you won't leave... Have faith in me to protect you, being a martyr isn't showing you have faith in us... Show me you have faith that I won't let him hurt you... I promised you that if it ever came to down to it, I would save our daughter first... now you promise me, Isabella."

Our cheeks were both soaked with tears but we never broke eye contact. Her eyes never lied to me and right now I could still see it there... the determination to sacrifice herself for us... and it pissed me off.

"You fucking promise me you won't leave," I growled and squeezed her tight, "fucking promise me!" I shouted as a sob wretched through my body.

Immediately she threw herself against me, squeezing her arms around my neck as hard as she could, while her own body shook with her sobs.

"I promise... I promise... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she kept chanting through her cries.

I held her just as tight and we cried together.

"I won't leave you... I promise... I just don't want him to hurt anyone... I won't leave," she repeated while we held on and cried together.

"I love you, Bella... I can't lose you," I pulled back to wipe her face. "I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe."

She nodded and reached up to wipe my cheeks with her shaky hands.

"Come on, love, let's get under the blankets."

After I pulled the covers out from under us, I swiftly wrapped Bella back around me; our cries had finally died down and we lay silently just holding each other.

Her fingers traced soft patterns against my chest while mine ghosted up and down her arm. I loved holding Bella; I could hold her like that forever.

After a little while her fingers had stopped and I assumed she had finally fallen to sleep. When I leaned own and placed a kiss to her forehead she moved her head back so I could kiss her lips.

"You're still awake," I whispered after I pulled back.

"I can't sleep," she said quietly.

"Do you want me to get you something to eat?"

She shook her head and put her lips against my chest.

"Will you sing for me... you know, like you used to?"

"Sure," I kissed the top of her head again. "What do you want me to sing?"

She shrugged. "Anything... have you written something lately?"

I hesitated... I had written a few songs but I had wanted them to be a surprise for her when I sang them.

One I wrote two years ago. All those months during her pregnancy when I would hold her after her nightmares, I heard a melody in my head, and then as I would watch her sleep the words just came to me.

The other one I wrote after Emma was born. I planned on signing it to her the night all this mess happened. I was going to go to dinner with Emmett and tell him I was in love with his sister. I planned for her and me to get away for the weekend and head to my family's cabin in Canada. I pictured her in front of the fireplace while I strummed the guitar and sang my heart out to her. The setting tonight was completely wrong for the song, but Bella wanted me to sing and so I would.

"I wanted it to be a surprise for you," I shifted so I was sitting up more.

Her head lifted off my chest and her brown eyes lit up.

"You wrote a song for me?'

"Yes, love and I wanted it to be more romantic when I sang it."

I told her what I had planned to do; she smiled and thanked me with a kiss before I got off the bed to grab the guitar from the closet.

She had sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs that were bent slightly. Her brown eyes glowing as she watched me, a tiny shade of pink painted her cheeks.

She had never looked more beautiful.

I joined her on the bed and kissed her softly before I started playing.

_Baby I want you  
Baby I want you  
Baby I do_

_Darling I love you  
Darling I love you  
Know that it's true_

_Don't leave me here out on my own  
Don't you know how I hate to be alone  
I just want to be a part of your home_

Her eyes began to sparkle and she sunk her teeth into her beautiful full lip, pulling it into her mouth, an obvious attempt not to cry.

_Baby I want you  
Baby I want you  
Baby I do_

_Darling I love you  
Darling I love you  
Know that it's true_

_Don't leave me here out in the cold  
Don't you know that it's your hand I want to hold  
As these days fly past and unfold_

Her silent tears spilled over and rolled down her cheeks, but her eyes never left mine. I had never felt so open... so vulnerable in my entire life, but I welcomed it. These were my true feelings and I never wanted to keep anything from her... she was the woman I loved... she was my wife.

_Baby I want you  
Baby I want you  
Baby I do_

_Darling I love you  
Darling I love you  
Know that it's true_

Before I could put the guitar down, she was on her knees in front of me cupping my and planting her lips against mine.

"I loved it," she said against my mouth. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, love."

I wrapped my arms around her after setting the guitar down and pulled us back under the covers. She quickly snuggled against me, making sure to rest her head above my heart.

"You are a part of our home, Edward... you always have been. I hope you know that."

"I do, love," I admitted quietly.

"I love you so much, and not matter whose blood is running through Emma's veins... you are her dad, no one else."

She kissed the spot over my heart.

"I love you," I choked out.

"I love you."

It was another ten or fifteen minutes before I felt her breathing even out and knew she was asleep. I turned the light from the night stand off and quickly followed after her.

**BPOV**

"Mama," I heard a tiny voice call out but I wasn't ready to open my eyes.

"Up, mama, up," she groaned and started to shake my shoulders.

But I wouldn't budge.

I bit the inside of my cheeks when I felt her sit back and heard her huff in annoyance.

"Dad-dy, up!" she yelled.

I heard a little smack then felt Edward's chest shake underneath me, he was obviously laughing at her.

"Did you just hit daddy in the arm?" he teased her.

"Up!" she demanded.

"I can't, baby girl... mama's big head is keeping me down."

_Oh that little ass!_

"Up, mama!" she tried to shake me again but I wanted to keep teasing her so I kept my eyes closed.

She huffed a few more times and after a few seconds I felt the bed shift and heard her tiny feet patter across the floor and out the bedroom.

"My big head, huh," I said quietly.

Edward just laughed and pulled the blankets back over me.

It was only another thirty seconds before I heard her footsteps patter back through the room and I figured it was time to get up. Before I had a chance to do anything, I had a bear dressed in pajamas jump on top of me.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs-n-bakey."

If I had the ability to breath I would have laughed. Emmett used to wake me up like that all the time when we were younger, except I didn't remember him weighing as much.

"Are you awake now?" he asked but I still couldn't talk... and he knew it. "Nod your head if that's a yes," he teased and drawled out the 's'.

So I nodded.

He rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed.

Once I caught my breath I turned and smacked him on the arm.

"Ow," he whined, grabbing his arm for a dramatic effect. "My niece called upon my services because apparently _you_ wouldn't get up."

I squinted my eyes at him and then turned to look at my daughter.

"Did you sick Uncle Emmett on me?"

Her tiny hands were in fists at her hips and she nodded her head, causing her curls to bounce around her face.

"Yes, up!"

Her reaction was comical and all of us laughed.

"I can't believe you went and got Uncle Emmett," I teased and shook my head.

My brother got off the bed and walked over to Emma, scooping her up in his arms.

"You don't mess with M&M," he sneered playfully and walked out the door, with a grinning little girl looking over his shoulder straight at me.

I sat in disbelief.

"Did you see that?' I asked Edward and from the way he was trying not to laugh, I assumed he did.

"Oh, shut up," I said and swung a pillow at him before climbing off the bed.

Edward and I threw some pajamas on and made our way downstairs.

We heard some voices and saw Emma and Emmett were arguing in the living room so we stood in the arch way waiting for them to notice us, but they didn't.

"Hey, mamas up now, are you going to eat breakfast?"

She shook her head and glared back at her uncle.

"Mine!" She yelled at him

He shook his head and glared right back.

"Nope," popping his 'p', as usual.

"Mine!"

"Huh uh," he continued to tease her.

Her little eyebrows were pulled together in a scowl, he lips were pursed and her arms were folded across her chest with her hands bunched in a fist.

"What did he take sweet pea?" I asked her. With these two, you never could tell but whatever he had she was pretty mad about it.

Emma didn't answer, so my brother looked at me and winked.

"What did you take, Emmett?" Edward asked, trying to contain his smile.

"Her laugh," he grinned. "I gave it to her, so I took it back and ate it... I was hungry."

I rolled my eyes and we left them to it.

That was one of Emmett's favorite games to play with her. He would tickle or tease her to get her to laugh really loud, and then all of a sudden he'd playfully grab at her throat and scream, "I got your laugh", holding out his fist as if it was in his hand. Immediately she'd stop laughing and try to get it back. They could go for hours and not once would she laugh until he gave it back.

It was best to leave the room while they played that game because my daughter tended to have a temper like no other.

The rest of the family was sitting at the table eating breakfast as we sat down.

"Are you OK?" Esme asked as she handed me the orange juice.

I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if I freaked everyone out last night... it was a pretty crazy night."

Edward had his arm across the back of my chair and leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"It was understandable, love."

"I am sorry though," I said apologetically to the family.

We made small talk while we ate our breakfast and then left to get dressed.

As we walked back towards the stairs I saw Emma and Emmett still going at it.

"She needs a bath, Emmett... hurry and give her laugh back."

"Nope."

"You big bully," Rosalie said as she sat next to him. "Is M&M being a bully?"

My daughter nodded her head and then did something I had never seen her do. Usually when she plays this game she'll stay mad until he gives it back to her so I was shocked when I saw her face fall.

"Back," she said softly and then I watched as her eyes got teary and her little lip stuck out in a pout. She looked at him with those sad puppy dog eyes and then sunk her teeth gently into her lip, bringing it into her mouth, her top lip falling over to cover it... just like I do.

I gasped for a few different reasons.

For one – she never got emotional like that when she'd play with him, and for two – she looked just like me when she did it.

"Back," her voice croaked that time and a fat tear spilled over her lid and rolled slowly down her chubby little cheek.

"Emma," my brother said dazed. "I was just teasing."

He quickly pulled her in for a hug and stood up from the couch.

"Here," he put his hand on her throat. "You can have it back... don't cry M&M... please... Uncle Em can't handle it when you cry."

My daughter pulled back and wiped her face.

"Down," she said without a hint of sadness in her voice.

He gave her a hug and kissed her cheek before he put her down. He looked so sad; I could tell he felt bad for teasing her.

Before she walked over to Edward she looked at Emmett and smiled.

Not an – _I'm Ok now, don't feel bad _– kind of smile... no, that was an – _I just got you good, fucker _– kind of smile and if I didn't know any better I would say she faked the whole thing.

She was all smiles and laughs as Edward took her upstairs.

I looked over at Emmett and we both stared at each other, still a little shocked about what just happened.

"I just got played... didn't I?" he asked rhetorically.

Rosalie laughed from the couch. "You sure as hell did... and she pulled the Bella pout like no other."

"Yes she did," I laughed with her.

"Did you see how convincing she was?" Emmett asked, still completely baffled. "She looked just like you, Bella... when you do that lip thing."

Rosalie and I kept laughing while he sat trying to shake his head clear.

"She pulled that voodoo pout on me and got my mind all messed up."

"Serves you right," I teased and walked upstairs.

After everyone was showered and dressed we met downstairs to talk about our plans for the day.

We all agreed that Emma and I should stay here at Esme's for awhile because James had obviously been able to get into my house.

Jasper suggested that the girls and I take up self defense classes just in case something was to happen we would know a few things that could help us out.

Rosalie suggested we all go to a shooting range and learn how to handle a gun.

"I think that's a smart idea," Jasper said.

"I do too," Rosalie said.

"I wouldn't mind going to a shooting range, but guys... my dad was a cop... he made sure Emmett and I knew how to handle a gun before I was even twelve. He also showed me what to do in case someone ever tried to kidnap me... but, it's been a long time, so I think it'd be a good thing to go to some self-defense classes."

"I wonder if you would even have to go to classes," Carlisle said. "I'm sure Phil wouldn't mind showing you girls some things."

We left as a group to go and pack some of our things at my house, luckily without incident. I had Emma with us since there wasn't any way I was leaving her alone. I felt like royalty the way the guys surrounded us as we walked in and out of the house.

When we got back to Esme's, Carlisle said he spoke to Phil who was more than happy to teach us a few tricks.

The next four weeks had flown by so quickly, what will all the shooting ranges and sparring practices, my days had been pretty busy.

Phil was a great teacher; he was extremely thorough and patient, but very assertive when he needed to be. He taught us girls, including Esme, a lot of different ways to get out of holds. He showed us safe ways to wrestle a weapon out of your attackers' hand and how to wound him the easiest.

I hated being around so much violence but I knew it was necessary to stay better protected.

Rosalie was a natural at handling a knife. Of course it wasn't a real knife that we practiced with but she was amazing. Even Phil was impressed with how good she was. She knew how to handle it, exactly where to aim when she was ready to strike, she did all these crazy hand tricks that had it moving around like she was Bruce Lee... she looked completely bad ass with a knife.

Alice was faster at sparring than any of us; I laughed and told her that her ADD had finally come to good use... She didn't find it too funny. But it was the truth. Her entire body was a balled up piece of energy that had to be contained, and once she stepped in the match she was able to let go and really move around. She may be tiny but she was fast as hell, her attacker would have a hell of a time trying to reel her in.

And as for me... well, let's just say I knew my way around a gun.

Phil and his "acquaintances" hadn't been able to spot James anywhere, which was good and bad. I mean it was great not having to run into him or any of his craziness, but we knew he was going to show up eventually. And that was the worst... the waiting game.

I decided to go ahead and partake in the graduation ceremony with Alice; it was something I would never be able to get to do again. We weren't able to attend the practices or anything but after Carlisle spoke with the principal and let him know what was going on we were able to have "bodyguards" stay with us while we waited for the ceremony to begin. Phil had made sure to have extra people watching us while we were there, and both Emmett and Edward stayed within inches of Emma.

Alice smiled and twirled across the stage as she grabbed her diploma, causing everyone in the audience to laugh and I was thankful, it helped keep a smile on my face until my name was called.

I heard my family's hoots and hollers as I was handed my diploma and waved to Emma as I walked off the stage.

The rest of the ceremony went off without a hitch and as everyone threw their caps up in the air, I closed my eyes and said a silent 'I love you' to my parents.

Everyone started swarming around trying to find their families, and I was quickly able to catch up to Alice and we walked together towards our family.

"I can't believe we did it, Bella," Alice squealed.

"I know... we graduated!" I shrieked and grabbed on to her hand.

Everyone gave us a hug and told us they were proud of us.

I leaned into Edward and gave him a kiss before I took Emma from his arms.

"Hi, sweet pea, did you see mama wave to you?"

She smiled and clapped her hands.

We started walking down the aisle and heard a few people complain about how they got a bill inside their diploma case. Alice and I looked at each other and started laughing as she walked over to me. Edward laughed and then walked in front of us with Jasper and Emmett.

"Wonder if mine is a diploma?" she joked and opened hers... of course it was a diploma.

"Open yours," she laughed and I shifted Emma so I could open it, and then stopped dead in my tracks.

Inside was in fact my diploma, however Swan was scratched out and Volturi was written underneath. Taped to the top flap was a small note.

_Smile for me, Angel_

My head snapped up and immediately started searching the crowd.

"Emmett," I heard Alice yell and snatch the offensive case from my hands.

Edward came around and started ushering me under his arms and through the crowd.

"Give me Emma, Bella," Emmett growled and took her from my arms.

We hurriedly walked out of the auditorium and were instantly surrounded with Phil's security. They followed us to the vehicles and waited outside our doors until we drove away, a handful proceeded to follow us.

"Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God," I kept chanting as I clutched onto Edward for dear life. "He was there the whole time... I had Emma in my arms when I read it... what if he took more pictures of her? Oh my God... is he following us?"

"Shh, love," Edward whispered and pulled me closer to him. "No one but the security is following us."

"How do you know? He could be anywhere... dressed as anyone," I sobbed.

"No, cry," Emma said to me and reached her hand out to touch my arm.

I did not want my daughter to see me like that, the last thing she needed was to get freaked out.

"Mama just doesn't feel good, sweet pea." I turned and leaned against the side of her car seat, gently holding her hands.

"Mama sick?"

"Yes, baby girl, mamas' tummy hurts," Edward said softly.

I was an emotional wreck by the time we made it back to the house. Edward had to carry me inside after Emmett jumped out and grabbed Emma.

It took me a few hours to calm down enough and actually let go of Edward, Carlisle gave me a mild sedative to stop my panic attack. Emmett told me he was keeping Emma with him and Rosie in the guest bedroom, I wasn't sure if it was for my sake or his, but I didn't care. She was the safest with him.

I helped Rosalie change her into pajamas and then I gave her a kiss before they took her down the hall for bed.

"Bella, love, it wouldn't be such a bad idea for you to try and get some sleep," Edward said softly.

"Can we stay down here tonight; I'd like to stay close to Emma."

"Of course."

I curled up against him on the couch and thanks to the sedative; I was out in no time.

I wasn't sure how long I had slept but when I woke up it was still dark out. I heard voices coming from the kitchen and since Edward wasn't asleep next to me, I figured he was in there.

"Hey," I said as I stepped into the kitchen.

Phil, Carlisle, Edward and three security guards were standing around the kitchen island looking over some papers.

"Hey, love, are you alright?" he asked and wrapped his arms around me, I notice Phil tucked a folded piece of paper into his jacket pocket but I shrug it off as nothing.

"Yeah, I'm a little thirsty though."

Edward placed a kiss on top of my head and went to the fridge.

"That's from the medicine, sweetie," Carlisle said apologetically. "It works great for panic attacks but leaves you feeling dehydrated."

"It's alright, I needed to calm down."

"Here you go, love."

Edward handed me a bottled water and I sat in the stool next to where he was standing. I drank my water and listened to the guys talking about different game plans until I started yawning again.

"You should go lay down, Bella," Phil said as I finished yawning.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty tired still."

"Are you going to sleep back on the couch?" Edward asked and helped me off the stool.

"I think so; I'm going to use the bathroom first."

I kissed him before I left the kitchen and then made my way to the bathroom.

As I was washing my hands I glanced in the mirror, a little taken back by my appearance.

"Ugh, I look like crap," I mumbled out loud.

I brushed my teeth before I grabbed the brush and ran it through my hair a few times, enough to get the tangles out and smooth it down. I turned the sink back on and splashed some water on my face, trying to get that greasy feeling off. I reached for a hand towel off the rack and patted my face dry.

I used the towel to wipe my hands off and then threw it in the laundry basket before looking back in the mirror.

I noticed his eyes first.

Those piercing blue orbs were blank... empty, and seemed to glaze over the more he stared at me, they were blood shot and dark circles formed underneath.

His mouth was pulled up into a sinister smirk, revealing a few pearly white teeth behind his lips and then he growled, low and deep before he took a step towards me.

My brain was telling me to scream... to run... to turn around and hit him, but my body seemed to be under some kind of trance and I had lost all ability to move.

My wide eyes stung with the making of tears as I watched him take another step closer... then another... and another, before the front of his body was lightly brushing against my back.

I felt my body start to tremble as his hands rose and rested on the tops of my arms, his fingers softly massaging the skin that he touched, slowly moving up and down before they wrapped themselves around my waist, pressing my back against him.

My first tears fell.

I watched in the mirror as he slowly brought his face down to mine, turning his head slightly, capturing the moisture on my cheeks with his lips.

More tears fell.

With his eyes still locked with mine he began to outline the curves of my face with his nose, sniffing along the way.

I fought down the bile that threatened to come up as I watched him as he slowly open his mouth, then the tip of his pink tongue snaked out and landed on my skin, capturing all the tears that continued to roll down my face.

I heard him growl again and felt his hands grip onto me tighter; the pressure forced me to stay pressed against him.

I watched in the mirror as he brought his right hand up to my face, the backs of his fingers ghosting across the skin, before he pulled the hair off my shoulder and moved it out of his way. His mouth moved closer and closer until his lips were brushing against my neck.

Fear like I had never felt rushed through my body and I opened my mouth to scream.

But I didn't get the chance.

James saw it and slammed his hand over my mouth preventing me from warning anybody of his presence.

His cold blue eyes stayed locked on mine as he brought his face back down to me and placed a soft kiss along my temple.

My tears fell onto the hand that covered my mouth as I felt his erection grind into my back.

I watched as James' eyes dilated.

He placed another kiss to my temple... and another... and another... all the while staring intently at me in the mirror.

Slowly he shifted his head so that his nose was buried in my hair and he breathed deeply, trying to inhale as much of my scent as he could.

He gasped loudly with the first intake of breath which we blew out swiftly.

His hands tightened once again before he took another deep breath exhaling slowly that time; he watched my panic stricken eyes the whole time.

Nuzzling his nose in my hair he finally spoke.

"God, I've missed you, Angel."

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**A/N: Don't hate me...**

**Reviews make my fingers work double-time...**

**I'm really curious as to where you guys think things are going.**


	26. Chapter 26

**********Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews... most I have gotten for any chapter. **

**I am so glad you all have stuck with me so far, please don't leave anytime soon. **

**Things are going to stay crazy for our little Bella for awhile. **

**I even through in a few surprises for you. **

**Hope you enjoy. **

* * *

**BPOV**

"I've missed you, Angel... did you miss me?"

I could feel his warm breath beat against my neck and had to swallow the bile that rose in my throat.

"I told you I'd find you... didn't I... I told you no one was going to keep us apart."

Tears continued to pour from my eyes as I sobbed behind his hand that covered my lips.

"Shh," he breathed into my ear. "Don't cry, Angel, I'm not going to hurt you."

Another sob wracked my body as he began to lay kisses on the side of my head.

"If I take my hand away will you stop crying?" he kept his eyes locked with mine in the mirror.

I nodded frantically... eager for the chance to scream.

James must have read the hope in my eyes because he squeezed his hand over my mouth violently and growled.

"If you scream," he whispered harshly, "I won't hesitate to kill whoever walks through that door."

There was no doubt in my mind that he would do it. His eyes were cold and his face showed nothing but his promise that he would make good on that threat. His hand continued to squeeze my face until I winced, which caused him to loosen his grip a tad.

"Now... if I let go, are you going to scream?"

I shook my head.

"Promise?" his voice held a hint of playfulness... he had never looked or sounded more crazy than that very moment.

I nodded my head and waited anxiously while he leisurely let go of his grasp on my face, keeping his eyes locked with mine.

He brought his right hand slowly down my body, brushing his knuckles along the swell of my breast before wrapping both his arms around me tightly, squeezing me against him.

His lips moved to my cheek, lightly pressing against the wet flesh.

"I've dreamt about touching you every night for the past two years, Angel... you have no idea how good this feels," He moaned as he ground his erection against me again. "I finally got you back."

"H-how did you get in here?" I had finally found the use of my voice. It came out weak and hoarse but he heard me and smiled.

His lips kissed the edge of my jaw and his nose rubbed against my cheek.

"Didn't that P.I. of yours tell you who my family is?" he released a dark chuckle. "The Volturi are very resourceful, Angel... A few silencers and a quick hack into your computer system... well, it was actually pretty easy getting past your security."

He rolled his hips against mine again and I cringed when I felt his hard erection press into me again, my face twisted in disgust. James just laughed quietly and pulled back.

"Sorry," he muttered and lifted his shirt.

My eyes widened in fear when I saw that it wasn't an erection he had been pressing into me, but in fact the butt of his gun. I let out a small cry and James was quick to place his hand over my mouth again.

"Shh," he whispered in my ear. "We don't want to wake anyone up do we?"

I swallowed my cries and shook my head.

"Good," he smiled. "Can I take my hand away?"

I bit my cheek to keep from crying and nodded my head.

James stood behind me and placed both of his hands on the counter beside me, trapping me in.

"Are you going to kill me, James?" I asked shakily.

He seemed to get irritated by that question and his eyes grew dark.

"Why would you ask me that?" he growled.

I simply gazed down at the gun and then back at him.

"You think I want to kill you? I can't fucking live without you... why the hell would I kill you?"

His eyes glared at me and his voice took on a menacing tone. His breathing started to grow heavier, he looked like a crazed man, I was afraid he would snap at any moment.

"You're scaring me, James," I couldn't help but whimper.

And just like that... he stopped, just like before; he'd go from crazy lunatic to pansy in a flash. His features softened and he wrapped me in his arms.

"I'm sorry..." he planted kisses along the side of my face. "Turn around, Angel."

As much as it scared me to have to look at him in the mirror the thought of turning around and having to be face to face with him, was much more terrifying, but I knew it would only make him mad if I didn't.

It took me a few second before I slowly turned around and forced my eyes to meet his.

I used all my willpower to not flinch when he brought his hand up and cupped my cheek.

"God, I've missed you," he half moaned half whispered.

My eyes darted back and forth between his as every memory I had of James hurting me came flashing through my mind.

His hands grabbing me, slapping me... the many times he threatened to hurt my family... it all came back and even though I was scared beyond belief, I vowed not to be his victim anymore.

"I'm going to take care of you, Angel... I'm going to take you back to Italy with me."

There was no way I would let that happen.

I was going to fight back... because I knew if he got me out of the house, I would never be coming back.

I just had to wait for the perfect moment.

James brought his face close to mine, slowly dragging his knuckle along my cheek.

"I've waited for this for so long, Angel."

He cupped my cheek with one hand and brushed his lips lightly against mine. I didn't kiss him back, not the first, second or third time his lips touched mine.

He shifted closer to me his one hand still on my face, while the other one gently rubbed along my side. The cold metal touched beneath my shirt and I realized what I was going to have to do.

_I just need him to drop the gun. _

Keeping my eyes locked with James', I brought both my hands to his chest and slowly caressed a path up to his face.

I circled my thumbs around a few times when I reached his cheek and then brought my left hand to tangle in his hair, while my right cupped the back of his neck.

His eyes darkened and his breathing turned heavy as I pulled his head closer to mine. I could feel his intake of breath right before my lips made contact with his.

His hand moved from my face to the back of my neck and quickly deepened the kiss. I fought the urge to gag as I felt his tongue enter my mouth and disguised it with a moan.

That seemed to do the trick.

I heard the sound of something heavy land on the floor next to me before I felt both of James' hands cup the sides of my face keeping me anchored to him.

He moaned in my mouth as his tongue continued its assault against my own, I saw my chance and bit down hard on his bottom lip.

The moment my teeth sank into his flesh, my thumbs stabbed into his eyes, while my knee flew up and smashed between his legs.

James groaned and dropped to floor as I turned and ran towards the door.

As soon as I turned the knob, I felt James grab onto my ankle and pull, which caused me to fall to the ground.

His hands were trying to get a grip on my legs but I remembered what Phil had told me, and I kept kicking as hard as I could, trying to get away. Finally I managed to get a good kick to his face and he let go of my ankle with a few curse words flying from his mouth.

"Edward!" I screamed as I quickly scrambled on my hands and knees out of the bathroom. "Edward! He's here... he's in the bathroom!"

I could hear James moving around and was afraid he was grabbing for his gun, but I kept scrambling out into the hall.

It was only seconds later I heard footsteps stomping closer to me, and breathed a sigh of relief when I felt Carlisle lift me up off the floor.

"Get her in there with the girls!" Emmett shouted and rushed past us with the rest of the men.

Carlisle tucked me under his arms and guided me into the guest room where, Rosalie, Esme, Alice and Emma were huddled in the corner. Thankfully Emma was asleep.

"Bella, are you hurt... did he touch you... did he hurt you?" Carlisle was in full doctor mode while he checked me over. My entire body was shaking as I sat next to him on the bed and retold him everything that had happened.

"We were already coming to get you when two of Phil's men wouldn't respond over the radio," he said apologetically. "Emmett had just come out and joined us when Edward looked at the screen and saw one of the security men laying on the ground."

"James said it was easy to hack into the system... I don't understand, Carlisle," I said with tears in my eyes. "Why does he want me so bad... I mean... why go through all this trouble just for me?"

He pulled me into his arms as my tears fell and gently rocked me back and forth.

"He's never going to stop," my voice trailed off as my cries grew stronger.

"I'm sorry we failed you, Bella," he said quietly.

I wanted to tell him it wasn't his fault, that I was OK and that James didn't hurt me. I wanted to take away the guilt he was feeling... but all I could do was succumb to the tears that continued to fall.

I felt the bed shift and then heard Esme's voice in my ear as she wrapped her arms around me too.

"Shh, sweetheart..." She kept whispering her soothing words and gently stroked my hair, trying to comfort me.

"Carlisle, I think we should do what Alice suggested," I heard her say.

"I think you're right, dear."

"We can talk about this with Edward and Emmett when they get back in." At the mention of their name my heart rate began to speed up and I felt the blood in my body rush to my face. Before I had a chance to panic the bedroom door flew open and Edward was pulling me out of his parents' arms and into his own.

He wrapped his arms around my waist lifting me off the ground. My own wrapped around his neck and I squeezed as hard as I could.

"Fuck, baby, did he hurt you?" I could hear both anger and worry in his voice and I shook my head. He sighed in relief and gripped me tighter. "I am so fucking proud of you for fighting back."

We held each other for a few minutes and then finally went to sit on the bed. I sat in his lap, my legs hanging over both of his, arms wrapped around his neck, with my face buried in his chest. We both needed the comfort only we could offer to each other.

I could hear people enter the room but I wasn't paying attention to what they were saying, I only wanted to revel in the safety of Edward's arms.

That was until I heard a very familiar voice faintly call my name.

I reluctantly lifted my head from Edwards' chest and turned towards the doorway to look for my brother.

He was standing with his shoulders slumped, both hands were fisting in the little hair that he had, and then I noticed the tears in his eyes.

I immediately jumped out of Edward's lap and ran to my brother, who lifted me off the ground easily.

"I have never been more scared than what I was when I heard you scream," his voice cracked as he began to cry.

"I'm OK," I cried back.

"I f-fucking th-thought..." a violent sob cut him off.

I hugged him tighter and whispered again that I was OK. His body was convulsing so bad from his sobbing I was scared he might start hyperventilating. So I kept chanting that I was OK and eventually he calmed enough to start speaking again.

"I fucking thought that was the last s-sound I would ever hear from y-you..." his voice broke off again. "I thought that he grabbed you and we were too late," he wailed and his arms had tightened so much I was having trouble breathing, but I would never tell him that. He needed the contact as much as I did.

"I love you, Bella... and I'm so fucking sorry I let you down... that we all let you down."

"Stop, Em... it wasn't your fault."

I didn't want him to blame himself... I didn't want anybody to blame themselves. James was a twisted bastard and for some reason I was his target.

It took a few minutes and a bunch of apologizes from both of us before we pulled away and joined the rest of the group. Edward quickly handed a sleeping Emma over to Emmett and came over to warp his arms around me.

Carlisle filled them on Alice's idea of leaving town.

"We were both thinking the same thing," Edward admitted.

"We have the cabin outside of Vancouver... it's only about a three hour drive, Edward, but no one knows where it is. We could stay there until he's caught."

"What happened to James?" I asked my voice a little shaky as I said his name.

"He jumped out the window before we could grab him. By the time we made it outside he had already made it to the car that was at the end of the driveway. Phil and his men jumped into their vehicles and started chasing after them. They're following him south right now."

"We need to leave as soon as possible," Emmett said, keeping a tight hold on my daughter.

"Girls only pack the things you need," Carlisle addressed, "And do it quickly."

Alice, me and Esme left the room to go get our things packed, while Rosalie stayed to load up her and Emmett's things.

It only took about fifteen minutes to get our suitcases packed and meet at the front door; the guys were discussing which vehicles to take.

Because Carlisle and Esme's vehicles were in the garage we decided to take both of them, figuring James didn't know what they looked like; both had gotten new ones after Emma was born.

"I want to ride with Mom and Dad," Alice said at the same time Emmett stated "I want Bella and Emma with me."

They both looked at each other and smiled.

"OK," Carlisle said and then looked at us. "I'll drive Esme, Alice and Jasper in my truck, and Emmett you drive the rest in Esme's and follow behind. Both vehicles should already have full tanks."

We grabbed our bags and headed for the cars, quickly loading up and making our way out of Seattle. By the time we pulled into the cabin, the sun had come out which gave me a better view of their "cabin".

"If this is your idea of a cabin... then mine must be what you consider a tee pee. This is gorgeous."

It was deep in the woods and was built with the same lumber you would use to give it that log-cabin feel... but it was more of a mansion than anything. Two stories, both with floor to ceiling windows spaced evenly apart. The downstairs level had a wraparound porch where a hot tub was built in and the upstairs had a balcony that was decorated with patio furniture.

Esme had designed the inside just as beautifully as the outside, very homey and comfortable.

We made our way to our rooms and quickly got settled in. I had just put the last of our clothes away and Edward was putting the suitcase in the closet when Emma woke up.

"Pan-akes, Mama." Her chubby little hand came up to rub her sleep from her eye.

"You want pancakes?" I sat down and pulled her into my lap. "Well, let's go see if Nana has stuff to make you some pancakes."

I stood and waited for Edward to join us before I walked down stairs.

Esme and Rosalie were already in the kitchen making coffee and hot chocolate when we walked in.

"Nana!" Emma squealed and started to squirm out of my arms. I smiled up at Esme and let Emma down.

"How's my favorite Emma this morning?" Esme beamed as my daughter jumped in her arms.

"Pan-akes."

"You know what, I think I do have stuff to make pancakes," her finger lightly tapped the end of Emma's nose. "Do you want to help Nana make them?"

"Yay!" She clapped her little hands and bounced in Esme's arms.

While Esme was grabbing the things she needed to start breakfast I couldn't help but notice there wasn't much in the cupboards for food.

"Esme, do you have a pantry?" I asked as I continued to look through the empty cupboards.

"I do, but I'm afraid there's not a lot in there either, but don't worry the town is only fifteen minutes away, we can go get groceries later on today." She smiled kindly at me and then turned her attention back to my daughter. "If you want you can look in there and start us a list of things we'll need."

Rosalie walked over with me to where Esme had pointed and we both began to plan meals for the family.

"Papa," Emma squealed as the guys entered the dining room.

"Hello, Emma." He leaned down and picked her up from her chair. "How is my pretty princess today?"

She smiled and pointed to the table.

"Pan-akes!"

"Pancakes? Did you make Papa pancakes?"

I always loved how animated Carlisle was when he talked to her. Emma constantly had a smile on her face when she talked to him.

We were finishing up breakfast when Esme asked who wanted to go to town with her.

"I need to go," Alice smiled. "I forgot our toothbrushes and my deodorant."

"Yeah, I forgot Em's razor and our toothbrushes also," Rosalie said.

"I did too," I laughed and looked at Edward, "but I need to give Emma a bath." I looked back at Rosalie. "Will you grab two for us and one for Emma?"

She nodded.

"I'm going to go with you girls... just to be on the safe side," Jasper stated and we all agreed.

I gave the list to Esme after we cleaned the dishes and then went to start Emma's bath.

"Mama, too," she said excitedly.

I hadn't planned on getting in with her but how could I tell her no. Besides I did need to wash my body.

"OK, sweet pea," I told her and her face lit up. "How bout we take a quick shower and then a bath."

Her whole body bounced in agreement and we undressed and then stepped under the spray.

I washed and rinsed us both before starting our bath.

Edward came and sat on the floor next to us and talked while Emma was lightly splashing.

I looked over to see him gazing intently at me with a smile on his face and I cocked my head to the side.

"What?"

"You're just... really beautiful," he said sincerely causing me to blush. I smiled back and thanked him.

He leaned down and gave me a kiss.

"I love you."

"Love you," Emma and I said at the same time, causing me and Edward to laugh.

"Are you ready to get out, sweet pea?" I asked her.

"Uh huh."

I noticed Edwards' eyes roaming shamelessly over my body as I stood up, bubbles dripping slowly off my body and couldn't help but chuckle. He looked away sheepishly when he realized he was just caught checking out his very naked wife.

I turned the spray on to rinse us off and asked him to grab us some towels.

"Will you get her dressed for me, so I can dry off?" I asked as we walked into the bedroom. It was then I looked up and noticed he had already picked her clothes out and layed them on the bed. I kissed him sweetly and smiled.

"What time is it?" I was brushing Emma's hair when she started to yawn.

"Almost noon, we didn't eat breakfast until after nine." Edward reached down and picked her up after I finished. "It's already her nap time."

"I know... I forgot batteries for the monitors; do you think there's any lying around here?"

"Yeah, I'll be right back," he went to leave but I stopped him.

"No, you lie down with her, she's almost asleep already," I walked over and kissed him. "Just tell me where they are and I'll go get them."

"OK. There should be some in one of the drawers in the kitchen... if not ask Dad, he'll have some stashed somewhere."

I found them in the drawer and went back upstairs. Emma was sleeping on her back, arm reaching over her head with one of her hands fisted into Edwards' hair; I laughed softly and put the batteries in the monitor before grabbing my cell phone and snapping a picture.

"She's so beautiful," I murmured and showed the picture to Edward who smiled. I was going to lay down next to them when I heard Emmett shout from downstairs. Both Edward and I froze for a moment before he flew out of the bed and ran downstairs, me following close behind him.

"What do you mean you lost him?" Emmett shouted and my heart sank.

Edward motioned for Emmett to put ht phone on speaker so we could all hear. He looked at me briefly before nodding his head.

"_Fuck... we're hurt bad... they rammed into us... fuck my ribs."_

"Where are you? Is James hurt? Is he dead?"

"_We're right outside of Portland, Oregon, when we realized what was going on we turned back towards Seattle but they crashed into us..."_

"What do you mean, realized... what happened?" Emmett asked aggressively.

"_It wasn't James we have been following..."_

"What?" All three men shouted.

"_They must have done a switch up before even leaving Carlisle's place... that way we chased after a diversion, so he could follow you... shit... Get Bella out of there, Emmett now!"_

Before Phil even finished talking Edward was running towards the stairs to grab Emma. He didn't even make it half way before Carlisle yelled for him.

"It's too late, son," his eyes were focused outside. "They're already here... Bella, get upstairs and hide."

I looked at my brother with panic filled eyes and he hugged me tightly.

"Go! Get Emma and hide."

"I love you, Emmett," I cried.

"I love you, sis... now go!"

I ran to Edward and he rushed me into the room, quickly snatching Emma up and leading us into a hidden space in the back of the closet.

"No matter what, Bella," he grabbed the tops of my arms after he laid Emma down and covered her up. "No matter what you hear... do NOT come out of here! Understand?" Tears poured from my eyes as I was hit with the feeling that this was goodbye. I smashed my lips to his and nodded.

"I love you," he whispered against my mouth and then shut the thin door closing us in.

I heard his footsteps rush downstairs and then more rustling before everything went completely silent. I prayed to all that was holy that Emma would stay asleep. Not only did I not want her to wake up to witness anything but I didn't want her to make any noise and alert anybody where we were. I had to place my hand over my mouth when I heard glass breaking and then people shouting.

I didn't know what exactly was happening or who was getting hurt but from the noises I knew they were fighting pretty violently.

I heard more glass breaking, things getting slammed into the walls and muffled voices.

I prayed that my family was OK... I prayed that none of them got hurt.

I knew my brother was strong and I was well aware of him and Edward's fighting skills but I still worried, I saw the gun James had on him and my heart went into overdrive when I thought of what he might do.

There was a loud smash and I heard Edward yell.

"Dad!" and seconds later "You mother fucker!" before more fighting continued.

My palms were starting to sweat and I tried as hard as I could to stop my cries from escaping as my mind went crazy with wondering if Carlisle was alright.

But then my heart stopped completely the moment I heard a gunshot.

It wasn't until I heard both their voices that I started to breathe again.

"You were always such a pussy, James," my brother laughed out but I frowned, I didn't understand why he would taunt him.

And then Edward started in, "Bringing a gun to a fist fight... fucking coward."

"What's the matter? Only the bad ass when hitting on women... pathetic fucking loser has to have his bodyguards fight his battles."

I heard someone getting hit and then a big thump land on the ground.

"Where is she?" James screamed.

"Fuck you," I heard Edward shout back.

"She's mine!"

"The fuck she is... Bella is my wife, dipshit..."

"She's coming with me, and she won't be your wife for long," James sneered before he laughed darkly.

"I'll die before I let you touch her again."

"That can be arranged."

The minute that threat left his mouth I made the decision to end this nightmare. I refused to let anyone die for me.

I looked down at my daughter as my tears fell and gave her a long lingering kiss on her cheek before whispering that I loved her.

As long as my daughter would be safe and my family would be alive, then I would go with James. IF I got away from him once I could do it again. But right now I needed to get downstairs to make sure James didn't hurt anyone.

I slowly tiptoed out of the closet and peeked out the door. I could get a clear view of things going on downstairs and covered my mouth as a gasp left my lips.

I could see the legs, of who I presumed was Carlisle, off to the side of the living room. I stared long and hard and finally exhaled when I noticed his chest rise and fall, thanking God that he was still alive.

Off to the left of the stairs three men held my brother down on his knees, two holding his arms, while one had him around the throat. He had blood coming out of his nose and the corner of one of his eyes. His lips were slightly swollen and bloody as well. But the men holding him looked just as bad, if not worse.

And straight across from them sat Edward on his knees, with two men holding his arms behind his back while James punched him over and over again. I instinctively put my arms out to go to him and then stopped myself when James began talking.

Each time James would scream "Where is she?" Edward would smile and James would hit him.

When he finally stopped Edward took a second to catch his breath and then laughed, "Fuck you."

"Tell me where she is!"

"Go fuck yourself," Emmett screamed at him.

"I'm not fucking around anymore... tell me where she is before I put a bullet in your head."

"She's my wife, James and no matter what you do to me... she'll always be my wife."

"You think you're so much better than me because you got her to marry you?" James snorted. "It doesn't mean shit... she's mine and always will be... in fact she gave me the one thing she could never give anyone else."

I held my breath and winced when I realized what James was talking about.

Edward growled and stared daggers at James, while he just laughed and carried on.

"That's right lover boy... I popped her sweet little cherry," he leaned towards Edward and pulled his hair, "... me and me alone."

"Fuck you!" Edward spat out.

"And let's not forget whose child she carried... you can play house all you want but that's my blood running inside her."

Edward tried hard to get at James but it was my brother that yelled.

"I'm going to fucking kill you James, you better pray these fucking goons of yours don't let go of me."

"Where is she?" James yelled at them both but they refused to answer him.

I could see James chest rise and fall quickly, his jaw was clenched tightly and he began to pace between both of them.

"Tell me where she is!" He yelled and then lifted the gun up in the air and struck it down harshly against Emmett's head, almost knocking him out and my brother grunted.

"Where is she?" he walked over to Edward and hit him again. His eyes were crazed and spit flew from his mouth as he kept screaming at him. "She's mine! Now tell me where she is!"

"Go to hell," Edward wheezed out after James stopped hitting him.

He screamed and walked over to my brother.

"You're pissing me off!"

James brought the gun up in the air and cocked it back, then slowly lowered it to my brothers' head.

Before he had the chance to pull the trigger I rushed down the stairs and stopped next to Emmett.

"Bella, no!" Edward and Emmett screamed.

Tears streamed down my face as I stood in front of a crazed looking James and begged him not to kill Emmett.

"Please... don't hurt him anymore... I'm here... just... please don't kill my brother," I sobbed uncontrollably.

"There's my Angel," he whispered and lowered his gun.

"Please don't kill them, James... please," I begged him as he started walking closer to me. I couldn't stop my body from shaking as he stuck his hand out and enlaced our fingers together, pulling on my hand slightly so I would go to him.

He brought his face down to mine and inhaled deeply.

"Are you ready to go, Angel?"

"Bella, no!" Edward screamed and started to struggle against the men who held him.

I looked at him with shame written on my face.

"I'm so sorry, Edward."

"I told you not to come down... I told you to stay put," his voice was low and heartbreaking.

"I won't let anyone die for me," I admitted sadly and went to take a step towards him but James pulled me back to his side.

"Huh uh, Angel... don't fucking think about it," he hissed. "Whatever you had with him is over... you're mine and we're leaving."

Tears poured down my face as I turned to look at my brother who was trying as hard as he could to get free. I mouthed "I'm sorry" before James turned me back to face him.

"You know," James started and brushed some hair behind my ear. "It wasn't very nice of you running away from me earlier, Bella. I told you that you were mine... that you belonged to me," his eyes grew darker and he glared at me. "I think I may just have to punish you for kicking me."

I swallowed thickly.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" Emmett yelled.

"I'm going to kill you, James," Edward shouted as James gripped my upper arms and started to squeeze, causing me to wince. One man came out from behind me and placed a piece of duct tape over Edward's mouth and then walked over and did the same to Emmett.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're mine?" He gave my body a powerful shake. "Huh? How many fucking times do I need to remind you that we belong together?"

"Ow," I couldn't help but cry out as he gripped tighter and shook me harder.

"That's enough, Marcus!" I heard a man order him. "You do not get to hurt her, ever!"

"She's mine," he said through clenched teeth and I bit my lip to stop from crying out as he shook me again.

"I said enough!" the man shouted again but this time James listened and released my arms from his clutches. A small sob left my lips and then he began to soothing stroke where he had grabbed me.

"I'm sorry, Angel... please forgive me." It was more of a command then a request, but he wasn't looking at me anyway, his eyes were focused to the man standing off to the side in the shadows.

"That's better," the man said. "We treat our women like the goddesses that they are... I better not ever see you grab her like that again."

"I apologize," James mumbled and looked down at me. "Are you OK?"

I wanted to tell him no... That I was scared and hurt and hated him... but I didn't, the look in his eyes conveyed his unspoken threat if I were to get him in trouble again. So, I nodded my head like the good little submissive that he wanted and prayed we would leave before Emma woke up.

"Where are my manners?" The man spoke softly and then slowly stepped out from the shadows.

I knew the moment I saw his face who he was.

James was the spitting image of him, except Aro had dark hair.

He walked slowly too me with an outstretched hand.

"Forgive me, Isabella," I cautiously placed my hand in his. "I hate to meet you under these circumstances but I am delighted to finally see you in person... My name is Aro."

"Hi," I croaked out as he brought my hand to his lips.

"You are absolutely breathtaking, Isabella," he smiled kindly to me. And even though the scene around us was horrifying, the kindness in his eyes eased my fears momentarily. I saw love and adoration in them... nothing like the hate and disdain I saw in James'.

"Thank you," I whispered to his compliment.

"I apologize for Marcus' behavior earlier towards you... he was not raised by my family, and I blame that for his slip up. But please believe me" he paused and took both my hands into his never breaking eye contact, "I do not condone violence towards our women." He finally broke away from my gaze to lock his eyes with James. "And any man in this family will respect and worship their wives to the upmost, or they will be dealt with."

A released a shaky breath and nodded my head in understanding and appreciation.

I hated the thought of being around James but knowing Aro would not allow him to hurt me, definitely made me feel better.

"Now dear," he released my hands and anxiously clapped his own together. "Speaking of family," he started and gazed around the room before looking back at me, "Where is this grandchild of mine?"

My eyes widened and I looked at Edward as my mouth went dry. My throat grew thick and I stopped breathing. I had thought for sure they wanted nothing to do with her, and before I could say anything to Aro, James beat me to it.

"What granddaughter?" he seethed viciously.

Aro furrowed his brow at me and then turned towards James.

"Didn't I hear you correctly when you were talking with Edward? You said it was your child that she carried... well that makes me a grandfather."

I heard James huff before he glared at Edward.

"She's his, not mine... I don't want the little brat."

As much as I wanted to stab him in the face for talking about her that way, I was relieved. At least I knew she wouldn't be coming with us... or so I thought.

"Is it or is it not your blood that runs through her body?" he asked slowly.

James nodded and then spat, "yea... but she has his fucking name... she doesn't even know me."

"Well," Aro stated casually, "We'll just have to rectify that."

"No, please," I turned toward Aro. "I'm coming with you... but leave her here... she doesn't know you guys. She needs to stay here with her family."

"My dear," he said sweetly and cupped my cheek with one of his hands, "we are her family. She has Volturi blood running through her veins, which makes her a princess at Volturi Manner – it makes you both Volturi princesses."

"I'm begging you, Aro, please, leave her alone... let her stay here with my family."

Aro continued to wipe the tears as they fell onto my cheeks and then slowly leaned in to kiss my forehead.

"She will get to know us and she'll love it there. She'll be treated as royalty – both of you will be. I won't let anyone hurt either one of you, don't you believe me?" He spoke as if it was a surprise that I would doubt him.

"I don't even know you, Aro," I whispered, hoping he wouldn't get mad at my honesty.

He smiled kindly at me.

"I know... and I'm sorry this happened to be our first encounter, but I do promise you, dear, that no harm will come to you or my granddaughter in my home."

"Please, Aro... please, leave her here," I sobbed and he gently pulled me into his arms.

"I cannot do that, Isabella," he said softly while stroking me hair. "I'm sorry that this upsets you, so."

He pulled back and brought his hands up to wipe my face. "Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing a woman cry, especially knowing that I caused those tears... but I cannot leave a member of my family to be raised by others, and as her mother you shouldn't want to be without her. You will see in time that you two are going to be safe with me."

I knew there was nothing I could do to change his mind.

Everything about him since the moment I heard his voice let me know he was more or less on my side, so I had no other choice but to trust him.

"Will you promise me something?" I asked quietly.

"Of course, Isabella," he smiled down at me.

"Will you promise that no more harm will come to my family?"

He hesitated for a minute and looked over my head at my brother and then at Edward and sighed.

"I will promise you this, Isabella... if they do not interfere with you and..."

"Emma," I said softly.

"Emma, leaving with us then yes, I promise we will not cause them anymore harm."

"Fuck that," James growled.

"Marcus," Aro snapped. "I think it would be in your best interest to wait in the car... now!"

James sighed and slammed the door as he left.

"I'm sorry about that... I think it's time we left, Isabella," he looked at me and wiped the tear that rolled down my cheek. "Grab some things for my granddaughter to play with...it's a long flight. As for clothes and what not..." his hands flew dismissively in the air, "You'll be taken care of when we get there."

I realized that it was truly happening, in just a few moments I would be leaving my family, not knowing if I would ever see them again. My eyes darted back and forth between my brother and Edward as I cried.

Aro wrapped an arm around my shoulder and whispered, "I'll give you a few minutes to say goodbye but then it's time to go."

I nodded my head in understanding and flew towards Emmett.

I immediately threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him tight enough for the both of us, considering Aro's men were not going to release his arms.

"I am so sorry, brother... but I couldn't let you die for me. I love you... and please don't be mad at me." I kissed his cheek, and then whispered so softly no one else could hear. "I have the bear with the tracking device in my bag."

I leaned back and cupped his face, hating the tears that rolled down his cheeks and over the grey tape on his face. "I love you... and don't forget."

He nodded his head and leaned his body into me the best he could. I hugged him one last time and made my way over to Edward.

I got on my knees in front of him and ripped the tape from his mouth, quickly attaching my lips to his. As I deepened the kiss I could hear the men talking in the back ground.

"Aro, stop her, she is no longer his mate... she belongs to James."

"Let her say goodbye. Whether James likes it or not, that is still her husband... for the time being."

I zoned them out after that and tried to lose myself in the kiss. My hands found their way into his hair and fisted tightly trying to savor the feel of him as much as I could.

"I fucking love you, Bella," he cried against my lips.

"I love you, too... only you. I don't know what's going to be expected of me over there but just remember that it's always been you."

He closed his eyes as my words sunk in and it killed me to see the painful expression on his features.

I wasn't sure what James expected me to do.

I didn't know how long I would be able to hold him off with his kisses and touches, or if I would be forced to have sex with him... I just didn't know.

"I love you, Edward." I slammed my mouth back down on his and hugged him with all my might. I kissed his cheeks and then brought my lips to his ear. "Come get us, soon."

I pulled back and cupped his face.

"You won't be able to say goodbye to Emma... she's still sleeping and I think it'd be best if she didn't see you guys this way. Please understand."

"I do, love," he sobbed lightly. "I love you and I'll see you again."

"I know," I whispered back and then left to go get my daughter.

I grabbed a small bag of her toys and clothes and threw some of my own in the bag.

I snuck a small note for Edward under the pillow before I opened the closet and grabbed Emma. She was sound asleep and I was careful, not to wake her as I walked downstairs and looked around.

"I love you, guys... and I'm so sorry... so very, very sorry," I cried quietly.

Aro walked over and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Come now, Isabella."

I gave the most important men in my life one final look right before Aro walked me outside.

"You promised you let them go."

"I said no harm would come to them and I meant it. But we couldn't very well let them go-."

I cut him off and stopped walking.

"You promised, Aro... you promised if they didn't int-," he put his hand over my mouth.

"Shh, I will keep my promise ... they are just getting a mild sedative, like that older gentleman, to prevent them from attacking my men."

I looked at him skeptically.

"I promised, Isabella... and once we're off the ground I'll even let you call to make sure they are awake and fine... Does that sound reasonable?" He offered gently and I nodded.

Not one minute later did his men join us outside and we all loaded up in the two vehicles.

To my horror James sat in the back of the one I would be riding in, and glared at Emma as I sat next to him.

"Marcus, if you cannot make them feel welcome, go ride in the other vehicle," Aro growled. "She is your blood and I will not have you regarding your child with such repulsion."

"Sorry," James said apologetically. "I always wanted a child with, Bella, I just need time to forget about _him _and the way he treated her as his own," he sneered.

"I understand, but just remember that's your blood in her."

I tried to tune them out and held onto Emma tighter.

It was going to be a long trip to Italy and I prayed that it wouldn't take the boys long to find my note and come and get us.

I just hoped Aro could protect us from James until then.

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**A/N: tell me what you think, please! **

**I am really wanting to know what you guys want to see happen. **

**Thanks again for giving my story a chance!**


	27. Chapter 27

**********Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer

**A/N: I need to apologize for how long it has taken me to update. **

**I recieved a lot of hate mail for how my story was coming along, and it really effected how i wrote the next chapter. **

**I had to rewrite it and lost my drive for a minute there. **

**I hate that people can be so cruel with their opinions but i reminded my self that they are just opinions. **

**It was really challenging though for me because the people that took the time to write me emails, were really negative. **

**I just hope that after this rewrite you are all happy with it. **

**I appreaciate all your thoughts, i just dont' see why some have to be so harsh. **

**Anyway, thanks to my faithful readers for all the lovely reviews. **

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**BPOV**

We had been sitting in the car for a few minutes and my anxiety level was through the roof. Besides being scared about having to leave the country with my daughter and my psycho ex, I was terrified of what the Mafia men could have possibly done to Edward and Emmett. My mind was also reeling with what I was supposed to tell my daughter when she woke up to see a bunch of strangers around her, not to mention what she was going to think about James and how he was going to act towards her.

She wasn't used to people yelling or being mean. She had been raised around love and affection, that's all she knew. She woke up to her family smiling and laughing, she went to bed every night with the same thing.

And now I worried about what she was going to be exposed to living with these strangers.

The car was silent except for the soft purr of the engine and every time Aro would look away James would shift his eyes to me and glare at Emma.

I didn't understand why he loathed her so much, and it was starting to scare me with the amount of hatred I saw in his eyes towards her.

He huffed and then turned towards the window.

"What the fuck is taking them so long," James sneered loudly causing me to flinch.

"Marcus, watch your language," Aro scolded from the front seat and looked at me apologetically. I gave him a weak smile, because even though he had forced me to take my daughter with us, I appreciated his kindness and the fact that he was protecting me from James' violence.

"Well," James scuffed. "They should have been finished by now."

I furrowed my brow.

"Who?" I asked quietly looking at Aro as I shifted Emma closer to me.

Before he could answer James released a creepy laugh and looked at me.

"Since my father here," his eyes shifted quickly to Aro and then back to me, "Promised we couldn't hurt your precious _Edward_ or big _brother_... Lorenzo and Vinnie are in there giving them something to help them _sleep_... but they should have joined the others by now."

I cringed when he mentioned putting them to sleep.

"You're right," Aro said. "It shouldn't be taking so long... Felix," he said to the man sitting in the front next to him. "Go make sure everything is alright."

As soon as Felix had shut the car door behind him I heard James yell, "Shit" and turned as he got out of the car the minute all hell broke loose.

**EPOV**

"Where is she?" James screamed before he punched me, the two men behind me holding my arms laughed.

I wouldn't say that shit didn't hurt because it did, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that so I continued to laugh every time.

"Where is she?"

That time he hit me pretty good in the stomach and it took a second for me to catch my breath.

He could beat me all day and I would never give him the information.

As my lungs slowly took in the oxygen I managed to laugh again and then smile. "Fuck you."

"Tell me where she is!" His eyes were those of a crazed man and there was no way in hell I would ever tell him where Bella was.

"Go fuck yourself," Emmett screamed at him.

I glanced over at him and saw the same determination in his eyes.

Neither one of us would ever tell James what he wanted.

Emmett was on his knees with two men trying to tie his hands behind his back, while a third one had him in a choke hold, but he was still able to taunt James as well.

"I'm not fucking around anymore," he threatened. "Tell me where she is before I put a bullet in your head."

"She's my wife, James and no matter what you do to me," I smirked, "she'll always be my wife."

His eyes twitched after I spoke and he walked slowly to stand back in front of me.

"You think you're so much better than me because you got her to marry you?" James snorted. "It doesn't mean shit... she's mine and always will be." His eyes glazed over before he smiled. "In fact she gave me the one thing she could never give anyone else."

I fucking knew what that asshole was going to say and my blood started to boil.

I hated thinking about him being with my wife, the thought of his nasty hands touching her, made me fucking sick to my stomach.

James noticed the effect he was having on me and laughed, which made me growl.

"That's right lover boy... I popped her sweet little cherry," he brought his face centimeters from mine and pulled his hair, "... me and me alone."

"Fuck you!" I spat out.

"And let's not forget whose child she carried... you can play house all you want but that's my blood running inside her."

I was seeing red and tried as hard as I could to get to him but the men holding me back were not letting up.

Before I had a chance to yell at him Emmett's voice shouted from across the room.

"I'm going to fucking kill you James, you better pray these fucking goons of yours don't let go of me."

"Where is she?" James yelled at him before looking back at me.

He was getting more and more out of control, I could tell he was going to lose it any minute.

He started to pace heavily back and forth before stopping in front of Emmett.

"Tell me where she is!" He yelled before he lifted the gun up in the air and struck it down harshly against his head. I was pretty sure if it had been anyone else they would have been knocked out, but Emmett was a tank and could take hits better than anyone.

"Where is she?" he yelled and stomped over to me. When I wouldn't answer him he hit me again.

His face was that of a crazy man and spit started flying from his mouth as he was screaming. "She's mine! Now tell me where she is!"

He punched me in the face and then in the stomach.

When I was able to breathe again I lifted me head.

"Go to hell," I wheezed out.

He screamed and walked over to Emmett.

"You're pissing me off!"

More spit flew from his mouth as he screamed and then brought the gun up in the air and cocked it back, and slowly lowered it to Emmett's head.

Emmett kept his eyes locked with James then smiled. I wasn't ready to watch my best friend get shot but we both were more than ready to die in order to protect Bella and Emma.

Before James had a chance to pull the trigger, the most beautiful brown eyed vision raced down the stairs and stood in front of her brother.

"Bella, no!" both of us screamed.

Tears streamed down her face as she stood in front of a crazed looking James and begged him not to kill Emmett.

"Please... don't hurt him anymore... I'm here... just... please don't kill my brother," she sobbed uncontrollably.

I watched as hi entire body relaxed and he looked at her.

"There's my Angel," he whispered and lowered his gun.

"Please don't kill them, James... please," she cried as he started walking closer to me.

My blood was boiling and I had to fight my own tears as I watched her start to shake as he lifted his hand and took hers so he could pull her to him.

He brought his face down to hers and inhaled deeply.

"Are you ready to go, Angel?"

"Bella, no!" I screamed and started to struggle against the men who held me.

She looked over with tears on her beautiful face and closed her eyes briefly.

"I'm so sorry, Edward."

"I told you not to come down... I told you to stay put," my voice was on the verge of cracking with the amount of strength I used to keep from crying.

"I won't let anyone die for me," her tears fell and when she made the move to step toward me, that bastard pulled her back against him.

"Huh uh, Angel... don't fucking think about it," he hissed. "Whatever you had with him is over... you're mine and we're leaving."

I watched her cry and then mouthed "I'm sorry" to Emmett before James turned her around to face him.

"You know it wasn't very nice of you running away from me earlier, Bella. I told you that you were mine... that you belonged to me," he continued to glare at her. "I think I may just have to punish you for kicking me."

_That mother fucker!_

"Don't you fucking touch her!" Emmett yelled.

"I'm going to kill you, James," I shouted as I watched Bella wince when James started to squeeze her arms.

Out of nowhere a man pulled out a roll of tape and quickly placed a piece over my mouth before doing the same to Emmett. We could do nothing but worry and watch that sadistic fuck as he held onto her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're mine?" I wanted to rips his arms off his body when he shook her. "Huh? How many fucking times do I need to remind you that we belong together?"

"Ow," she cried out and I struggled as hard as I could to get to her, but it was no use. I felt helpless and pissed the fuck off but before he could do anything else to her an older man stepped out into the living room.

"That's enough, Marcus!" he ordered. "You do not get to hurt her, ever!"

Twenty different ways to kill a man painfully ran through my head as James screamed, "She's mine," and shook her again.

"I said enough!" the man shouted again and James let go. I heard her whimper and then glared at him as his disgusting hands reached her arms and started to rub where he had squeezed.

"I'm sorry, Angel... please forgive me."

"That's better," the man said. "We treat our women like the goddesses that they are... I better not ever see you grab her like that again."

"I apologize," James mumbled. "Are you OK?"

She nodded slowly.

"Where are my manners?" The man walked slowly to her with an outstretched hand.

"Forgive me, Isabella," with his accent and his features I realized who he was. "I hate to meet you under these circumstances but I am delighted to finally see you in person... My name is Aro."

"You are absolutely breathtaking, Isabella."

"Thank you."

I knew she was terrified and I hated it.

"I apologize for Marcus' behavior earlier towards you... he was not raised by my family, and I blame that for his slip up. But please believe me; I do not condone violence towards our women." He looked at James. "And any man in this family will respect and worship their wives to the upmost, or they will be dealt with."

I remembered Phil said that as twisted as Aro's mafia family were, never was any violence showed toward the women, but it still didn't make me feel any better.

"Now dear, speaking of family," he started and gazed around the room. "Where is this grandchild of mine?"

My heart stopped and Bella looked at me with wide eyes.

I didn't know what to do. My heart broke as I watched Bella's panic stricken face begin to crumble as that man kept talking about his blood being in Emma's vein.

I prayed for a miracle, I prayed for someone to come busting through the doors and stop those men before they could rob me of my family. I hated myself, I had promised Bella that nothing would ever happen to her; I promised that nothing would ever happen to my daughter.

_Would I ever see them again? Would they hurt them? Where were they going to take them?_

I had to find a way to save them, all I needed to do was get my hand free. The men had loosened their hold some because they tied my hand together and I slowly started to move my wrist around trying to loosen the rope.

I thought for a brief second that someone had come to end it when I heard the front door slam, but my hope died when I saw James walking away through the glass of the door.

"I'm sorry about that," Aro told Bella. "I think it's time we left, Isabella. Grab some things for my granddaughter to play with...it's a long flight. As for clothes and what not..." his hands flew dismissively in the air, "You'll be taken care of when we get there."

Aro wrapped an arm around her shoulder before Bella nodded her head and flew towards Emmett.

She threw her arms around him and started crying.

"I am so sorry, brother... but I couldn't let you die for me. I love you... and please don't be mad at me."

I saw the tears that rolled down his face and couldn't stop the ones from leaving face wither. She hugged him one last time and made her way to me.

She got on her knees and ripped the tape form my mouth before quickly attaching our mouths together. Her soft lips opened up and my tongue eagerly dove in. I caressed ever surface of her mouth and relished in the feeling of her hands in my hair. As desperate as the kiss was I refused to think of it as our last kiss. I stopped my mind before going down that road.

"I fucking love you, Bella," I cried into the kiss.

"I love you, too... only you. I don't know what's going to be expected of me over there but just remember that it's always been you."

I couldn't stop the shudder that ran through my body thinking of what she might be forced to do, the minute I got my hands on him he was fucking dead.

I didn't want her to feel guilty about what might happen and I didn't want that mother fucker hurting her for any reason.

My gut twisted and my heart dropped as I stared into her beautiful brown eyes and whispered so only she could hear me.

"You stay alive, Bella," I swallowed thickly. "No matter what you have to do, you stay alive."

Her tears fell as her eyes looked back and forth between mine.

"I love you, Edward."

She slammed her mouth back down on mine and hugged me tight.

I didn't want to let her go. I didn't want to think about what that psycho was going to do to her. She kissed my cheeks and whispered in my ear, "Come get us, soon."

"You won't be able to say goodbye to Emma... she's still sleeping and I think it'd be best if she didn't see you guys this way. Please understand."

"I do, love," I sobbed lightly.

My daughter didn't need to see what was going on. I wanted to kiss her and hold her, but I knew it was for the best. I'd die the moment someone forced me to let her go. "I love you and I'll see you again."

"I know," she whispered back and then left to go get my daughter.

She turned and ran upstairs.

"Aro, we can't leave witnesses," a man huffed in annoyance.

"I made her a promise and you will honor it. No harm will come to them if they do not interfere."

I looked over at Emmett and he nodded slightly at me. We needed to wait until they were gone before we made a move to get them. My hands were almost free from the restraints and I noticed Emmett making quick work of his as well.

"What do you want us to do then?"

"When we get in the car, you and Vinnie will administer the same thing you gave to the older gentleman. That will give us plenty of time to make it to the plane."

"I don't know, boss... they could still call the cops."

"They won't extradite us for assault, and it's not kidnapping if she's coming willingly. I do not want to hurt this poor child by going back on my word and if any of you disobey my orders... there will be consequences." Aro pointed his fingers at the men.

"Yes, boss," they said in unison.

They stopped talking as Bella made her way downstairs. Her tears stained face broke my heart and when she spoke I damn near lost it all over again.

"I love you, guys... and I'm so sorry... so very, very sorry," she cried quietly.

Aro walked over and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Come now, Isabella."

She looked at Emmett and I one last time before she walked out the door.

I moved my wrist a few more times and sighed heavily when I realized I could slip my hand through. My eyes darted to Emmett and he shook his head 'no', obviously they made his knot a lot stronger than mine.

"Where's the bag?" the man's voice brought my attention back to them.

There were seven men and I was smart enough to know without Emmett I wouldn't be able to take them all down.

"Vinnie dropped it by the old fucker who hit him."

I smiled inwardly when he said that. I had never seen my dad hit anyone in his life and he had managed to hold his own with these men, before that little weasel stuck a syringe in his neck.

"Well get the shit and hurry up," the taller guy said. "Lorenzo you stay with him and make sure it gets done, we'll be waiting in the cars."

I watched the other five men leave while Vinnie walked over to my dad to grab a bag. The other man, Lorenzo, bent down in front of me and laughed.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret," the way he smiled I knew he was an evil son-of-a-bitch. "Your precious wife and child won't have the protection of the boss much longer. Seems like Marcus isn't too keen on sharing power." He laughed and like the little bitch that he was, grabbed onto my hair. "She's a hot piece of ass if you ask me, and with my help destroying Aro, I'm sure Marcus won't object to sharing."

The exact time my wrist slid from the rope, I lunged at him, making him hit the floor with a thump. I brought my hand up and landed a punch across his face hard enough that it knocked him out. I heard the other man yell something and looked over in time to see him reach inside his jacket and pull out a gun. I jumped up and before the man had a chance to aim, out of nowhere he fell to the ground.

My father stood over him with a crow bar in his hands, breathing deeply.

I exhaled heavily as my father wrapped his arms around me.

"Grab his gun, son," he pulled back and ripped the tape from my mouth. "I'll get Emmett loose."

I reached down and picked up his gun, then walked over to the man I knocked out and took his gun as well.

I tied both men up and handed Emmett a gun as soon as we heard the back door open.

Both Emmett and I pointed our guns waiting to see who came around the corner, I felt adrenalin course through my veins as I heard the footsteps getting closer and closer. I aimed my gun and was about to pull the trigger when Jasper peeked around quickly, his own gun drawn.

We blew our breath of relief and lowered our guns.

"Where are the girls?" My dad asked.

"They're back in town talking with the police."

"How'd you get here?" I asked as I quietly looked out the front window.

"We came out of the store and all the tires were slashed, I knew something was up and ran as fast as I could back here."

"They have Bella and Emma," Emmett hissed.

"Fuck!" Jasper cringed and shook his head. "We need to move quickly. We've got the element of surprise right now. How many are there?"

"Seven, including James and Aro. I don't know which vehicle she's in though."

"Carlisle, do you have a gun?" Jasper asked and my father shook his head. "OK... shit. Well it's going to be up to you then to grab the girls. The three of us will sneak out the side doors and surround the cars, hopefully we can distract them long enough for the police to get here."

"Keep an eye out for which vehicle the girls are in, Dad. As soon as you see them and can do it carefully, Grab them and bring them back inside."

We had all trained with Phil and his men and I felt more than confident enough that we could end this. All of us were excellent shots and combine that with the determination we had to getting the girls, I was positive we would be OK.

"Alright, let's go," Emmett said and we made our way outside.

**BPOV**

I held onto Emma for dear life when I heard the first gun shots go off.

"Isabella, stay down," Aro ordered. I heard him shuffling around in the front seat and realized he was loading a gun.

The minute he stepped out of the car I slid over to the other door, and looked out the window.

James, Aro and Felix were crouched down in front of the other car, each one lifting their heads long enough to shoot a few times and then crouch back down. I looked towards the house and saw Emmett, Jasper and Edward each peeking around the corner firing back at them.

I saw a few people lying on the ground with blood surrounding them and realized they were dead. I watched another man come from inside the other car and then join James, Aro and Felix outside.

"It's just us, boss," the guys said to Aro. "Tony, Mick and Silas are dead."

"How the fuck did this happen?" Felix shouted to the other guy.

"Lorenzo and Vinnie were right behind us... I don't know what happened?"

"I told you, boss, to finish them... we never leave people alive."

"Remember who you are speaking to, Felix," Aro shouted.

"He's right Felix," James sneered. "You and Joey cover us. We're getting back in the car and heading for the plane."

My heart stopped and I realized I needed to do something. No one was paying attention to me and I slowly opened the other car door, away from them.

My heart was beating so fast as my feet touched the ground. Emma started to stir against my chest and I began to panic. I didn't want her to wake up and see what was happening so I tried to run towards the house without being seen by James.

Jasper noticed me first and turned to say something to Carlisle who quickly made his way over towards me while the guys continued to shoot.

My body sighed with relief as soon as Carlisle reached us and my knees gave out, I quickly fell to the ground. He crouched down with me and took Emma from my arms.

"Are you alright, Bella?" he asked and I nodded, trying to catch my breath. "Can you walk?"

"Yes," I croaked.

"We have to get you inside," he said urgently.

"I'm right behind you, Carlisle," I managed to get back on my feet, still keeping my body close to the ground though. "Just worry about getting her there first."

He cradled Emma against him as he stayed low and turned towards the house, me following a short distance away.

I didn't get far before I heard Edward scream my name and felt my body being jerked up by my hair.

"Bella!" Carlisle shouted and turned around.

"No!" I screamed. "Remember your promise. Keep her safe!"

James brought the gun to my head and forced my body against his as he walked us backwards.

I could see Carlisle standing there watching when Edward ran up next to him, his gun aimed behind me.

"Remember your promise!" I shouted as James jerked my head back roughly.

"I'm going to fucking kill you, James," Edward roared before a shot was fired and I saw his body whip back.

"No!" I scream and started to struggle against James.

"Got him, boss," Joey said as he came to stand next to James and me.

Carlisle handed Emma to my brother and quickly started helping Edward, who was trying to sit up.

I breathed a sigh of relief knowing he wasn't dead. He had blood on the left side of his arm and it looked like he was shot in the shoulder. Jasper kept his gun on us as Carlisle tried to help Edward.

I noticed Emma's head moving side to side against my brother and I started to panic.

"Get her out of here, Emmett!"

I could see how torn my brother was and it killed me inside. He wanted to protect his niece but he was debating coming after me as well. My priority was Emma; she needed to be safe... as long as she was safe nothing else mattered. I watched him take a step closer and shook my head against James.

"You promised Emmett! She comes first!"

"Fuck!" he yelled to the sky. He looked back at me with tears running down his cheeks as he tucked Emma's head back into his chest and walked backwards towards the house.

"Felix, get in the front," Aro ordered as James and I reached the car. I watched Jasper lean down and help Edward to his feet before James threw us unceremoniously into the back seat.

Tears poured from my eyes as the car sped down the driveway.

Tears of joy because Emma was safe, tears of anger because my husband was shot, and tears of fear because I had no idea what was going to happen to me now.

I felt James shift next to me and looked at him in time to see his hand fly through the air and land on my face.

I tasted blood immediately and cringed before his hand smacked my face again.

And again.

And again.

Finally I heard Aro yell before he was able to land another smack.

"Enough, Marcus!"

"No, that's not enough... if you wouldn't have been so fucking soft with her, none of this shit would have happened. She's mine and I'll do what the fuck I want to her." James glared at Aro before turning back to me, grabbing my hair at the back of my neck and hitting me again, my face throbbed painfully but I refused to cry out.

The cocking of a gun stopped his hand in mid-air and he looked back to Aro.

I watched with tear-filled eyes as Aro and James had their little show down.

"Hurt her again, Marcus and I won't hesitate to pull the trigger."

"You'll kill your own flesh and blood?" he asked skeptically.

"No, but I will wound you," he said calmly.

"I'm your son... I'm going to take over the Volturi organization and now you're threatening me?" His hand lowered to his side but the one in my hair tightened his grip.

"No one is above reproach. We have laws and when those are broken, we punish accordingly... no matter what."

"What law have I broken?" he sneered.

"We do not show violence towards our women, I have had to remind you before, Marcus."

He drew me body close to his by his grip on my hair and squeezed his other arm around my waist.

"I've warned her too many times about what would happen if she tried to leave me. She ran away, she got what she deserved."

"No, Marcus. If you would have treated her like a goddess she never would have left you. We do not instill fear into their hearts, we show them love and respect... never having them want for anything."

"She is mine, Aro... and you will not tell me what I can and cannot do."

"If you hurt her again, Marcus, I will shoot you... as for your insubordination – we will talk about it back at the Manor."

Aro calmly lowered his gun and turned around to stare out the windshield.

James still had a hold of my hair and shifted my body so I sat atop him, my back flush with his chest. I felt his heavy breathing against my neck and squeezed my eyes shut as his lips touched my ear.

"You think he's going to protect you from me?" His tongue traced a small pattern on my neck. "He's in my way... and do you remember what I told you I would do to anyone who got in my way?" He kissed along my neck as his hips rocked his erection into my ass and I bit my cheek. "No one will you keep you from me, Bella... Not even my father."

His hand that was wrapped around my waist began to rub delicately against my stomach, inching slowly down my front until he ended at the juncture between my legs. His lips and tongue continued to work against my neck when his hand cupped my sex through my jeans.

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out as his hand began to rub back and forth over my sex, while his hips rocked into me.

"God, I've missed you," he hummed into my ear and then bit the side of my neck, causing me to yelp.

I kept my eyes squeezed shut as his movements started to become more aggressive on top of my jeans. His hand finally left my hair only to move down my chest and cup my breast painfully. I was about to cry out when I felt the car jerk to a stop.

I opened my eyes and noticed we were parked right next to a plane.

"Time to go, Angel."

He patted the side of my thigh and I got up from his lap.

Like the bi-polar ass that he was, he got out of the car and lovingly held my hand to help me step out. He leaned down and kissed my cheek before leading me to the stairs of the plane with a hand on the small of my back. Joey climbed up the stairs and into the cabin first, while Felix stayed at the bottom of the stairs waiting for us. I heard Aro walking behind us talking about the flight plan.

I reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed on to the small railing on the stairs while James guided me up the stairs.

I wasn't ready to leave my family and I definitely wasn't ready to go anywhere with James. Even with Aro promising to protect me from being hurt I was still scared out of my mind. I didn't know what was expected of me, what role I was to play with their family.

I hated feeling trapped and scared but I was so happy Emma was safe and no matter what happened to me I would gladly do it again as long as she stayed safe.

I felt James' hand leave my back and he leaned down to kiss the top of my head before he walked back down.

As soon as my feet hit the inside of the plane my body jumped from the sound of a gunshot.

I quickly turned around and gasped, my hands swiftly covering my mouth.

James stood over a very dead Aro and laughed as he stepped away from the blood coming from his head.

"You pull a gun on someone, old man... you better fucking use it."

He turned away from him and walked towards the stairs. His eyes lifted slowly before they locked with mine and the most evil smile lit his face.

I couldn't take my eyes off his intense gaze, even when Felix pushed past me to get in the plane. Each step James took that brought him closer to me was like a clock ticking down to my end.

I swallowed thickly as he reached the top of the stairs and stepped in front of me. The blood rushed to my head and it felt like my heart would beat out of my chest.

I heard Felix shout to the pilot and then walk over and shut the plane door, but my eyes never left the fierce stare of James.

I stood motionless and wide eyed, as his hands came up and cupped my cheeks, the callousness of his palms sending another shock of terror through me as his skin met mine. His nose touched mine gently, lightly brushing back and forth before he exhaled excitedly and smiled as he pulled back.

"No one gets in my way, Angel... don't you see... you belong with me, you're mine."

Too terrified to do anything else, I nodded with serious vigor.

If he had no problem killing a Mafia king, what would stop him from getting rid of me? Once again, I sent a prayer of thanks to God for making sure Emma was safe.

"Are you mad at me for killing him?" James asked quietly as he brushed my cheek again with his nose. "Tell me you're not made at me."

He kissed my neck and pulled back.

My lips trembled and I shook my head.

"I'm not mad," I croaked out.

"Tell me you don't hate me." His thumbs rubbed small circles against my cheeks.

"I don't hate you," I whispered as I felt tears slip from my eyes. He had never seemed crazier to me than that moment.

"I forgive you for doing what you did with _him_," he sneered at the end. "I know it was just to get back at me, right?"

I nodded quickly.

"Good," he kissed the tip of my nose. "You'll forget about him, Angel, and we'll be happy... just like before."

A small sob escaped me and he brushed away my tears.

"Don't you want to be happy, Angel?"

"Yes," I sobbed. _I'm happy with my husband and daughter._ I stopped myself from saying out loud.

"We're going to be happy. I'm the head of the organization now... and you're going to be right by my side."

He pulled me into his arms and hugged. My arms hung limply at my sides and it wasn't until I heard him growl that I realized it. Quickly I brought my arms up and wrapped them around him, earning a tight squeeze from him.

"Marcus, you need to strap in, we're ready to take off."

"Come on, Angel."

James led us to sets in the back and when my shaky hands couldn't maneuver the straps correctly, he leaned over and buckled me in.

I held in my cries as I watched the ground get further and further away.

"Here," James handed me a glass of something. "It'll help relax you, Angel."

I was hesitant to take it.

James rolled his eyes and placed the cup to his mouth swallowing a big drink before handing it back to me.

"It's Crown and Coke."

I took the cup from him and ignored the small burn the liquid made inside my throat. James made me a second one after I finished the first quickly and after awhile I started to relax a little.

I was still fully aware of what was going on around me but it took my anxiety down a few notches.

"Do you feel better?" he asked me softly.

I turned to him and for a brief second I was reminded of the sweet, loving James I had fallen in love with, the one that treated me like I was glass. But it passed as fast as it came.

"I do, thank you," I told him and handed him back the glass. I closed my eyes and went to lean my chair back only to have James stop my hands.

"You tired?" he looked concerned and I nodded.

"Come with me."

He unbuckled our seat belts and took my hand as he stood up. He led me down the short aisle and stopped at the door before he turned to look at Felix.

"I don't want to be disturbed." With that he opened the door and brought me into a room.

There was a huge bed against the far wall, a TV, refrigerator, a small bathroom off the side... if I had been on this plane with anyone else I might have been impressed. But as soon as I heard the clicking of the lock I knew I wouldn't be in that room alone.

My body stiffened as I watched James step in front of me and move his hands to the front of my pants.

"No, James.... please, I'm not ready for that yet," I tried to hold my tears back but failed.

He furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"You better get ready soon, Bella... but that's not what I came in here for."

He kicked off his shoes and tore his shirt over his head before removing his pants.

"You said you were tired and I figured the bed would be more comfortable for you."

I released a shaky breath, but not fully believing his intention.

I went to the opposite side of the bed and moved to sit down.

"Get undressed, Bella," he said without looking at me. His eyes were watching his fingers remove his watch.

"I'm fine," I swallowed thickly and kicked off my shoes.

"I wasn't asking you," my eyes snapped up to his at his tone. I stared at his fierce gaze for a few minutes before he took a step towards me.

"Bella," he said warningly.

Not wanting to chance pissing him off, I shakily removed my jeans and went to climb in the bed. He didn't say anything about me leaving my shirt on and I felt somewhat better.

But as soon as he crawled in bed next to me his hands went to the bottom of my shirt and pulled it over my head.

He wasn't rough and for that I was grateful. I was already dreading having to sleep next to him and if he was mad it would have only made me more scared.

I tried not to flinch when he pulled my body flush with his and nestled into the crook of my neck.

"I love you, Angel... go ahead and sleep now. We got a long flight ahead of us."

I swallowed down the bile that was trying to creep up when one of his hands cupped my sex and the other molded against my breast.

I heard him moan when he pushed my lower body against his erection.

"I've missed you."

He proceeded to grind his body into mine and started rubbing his hand over my core faster.

"Please, James," I cried softly. "I'm not ready."

"You will love me again," he huffed but didn't stop.

"It's going to take time... and you forcing me to do things won't help," I sobbed.

His movements still and for a minute I thought I made him mad. He rolled me onto my back and laid sideways so he could look at me.

His hand left my body only to come up to my face and wipe my tears.

"You will love me again." His eyes were soft and his face looked almost remorseful.

I nodded slightly. "I think I could... but it's going to take time."

He continued to wipe my tears before he brought his face down to mine.

"Kiss me, Angel."

My gut twisted and I bit my cheek. He wasn't the man that I loved... he wasn't my husband and even though I knew Edward meant for me to do what I had to to survive, it felt like I was betraying him if I kissed James.

"Bella," he snapped and I flinched slightly.

I brought my hand up and cupped his cheek before I closed my eyes and pictured Edward.

My hand traveled to the back of his neck and pulled him down so our lips met.

These were not the lips that I loved, these hands on my body were not those of my husbands, but I tried to push that to the back of my brain and pictured the face of the man I loved.

If I would be forced to do intimate acts with James, it would be Edward's face I saw, Edward's touch that I imagined caressing me.

I heard James moan and felt his tongue pressing against my lips.

I parted slowly and allowed his tongue entrance while pictures of my husband flashed through my head.

I wasn't sure how long I had been kissing him but Edward's face never left my mind.

I was glad when James finally broke from our kiss and pulled my body so I was once against spooned in front of him.

"I love you, Bella," he kissed my head and pulled me tighter into him, "So much."

A small sob escaped my lips at the endearment we used to share to each other so long ago. I did love him once... but now I felt nothing but hatred and fear towards him. Everything in me belonged to someone else and I wasn't sure what I was going to do when the time came for James to want more from me.

_Would I be able to give myself willingly to him, in order to stay alive?_

_Or would I have to fight him why he took it forcefully?_

I cried silently in James arms, while I prayed that Edward would come and find me before I had to make that choice.

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**A/N: Please review. **

**It's really hard for me to know if you are liking where the story is headed if you dont' leave me reviews. **

**I hope you enjoyed this one though. **

**I need to tell you all that this story will NEVER involve rape! **

**Ever. I won't write about that. **


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: OMG.. I watched the midnight showing of Eclipse and am still doing a happy dance. **

**I loved it so much I had to go back and watch it again today. Absolutely my favorite movie so far. **

**I am so sorry about the delay in this chapter. I had major trouble with a virus in my computer and Norton ended up screwing it up worse.  
And caused me to have to call Compaq and do a master reset, which of course deleted everything off my comp. So f Norton and go McAfee!**

**Horrible, horrible mess. **

**Then my lovely advisor screwed up my paper work and I was unable to walk with my class this term  
because i have two more classes I need to take that are only offered in the Fall so it didn't make me eligible for graduation. **

**RL has been sucky the past two months but I'm pretty sure I am past this writers block and back on track. **

**A huge thanks to all my readers! **

**I cannot believe all the reviews I got for last chapter, not to mention the favs and author alerts.. Thank you so much!**

**The song that's played at the end of the chapter is Kate Voegele's version of Hallelujah. The story would be so much better  
if you listen to it, when you ge tto the part, while you read. **

**Hope you enjoy. **

**

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**BPOV**

A slow chill crept its way up my spine as I watched the heavy metal gate open for us and Felix slowly maneuver the car down the driveway.

The flight had been long and tedious and as nervous as I was being here, I was relieved to be on the ground again. I hated being in the situation I was in but it was even worse being trapped up in the air in the middle of a screaming match, I was still a little shaken up from it.

James and two other men, Marcello and Laurent ,who were on the plane with us, kept arguing about what James had done to Aro – Apparently not every one of Aro's men was in on James' plot for him to take over as head and they let him know they were not happy about it.

They argued for hours about what repercussions were coming to James back in Italy, but unfortunately for them it ended with one man getting his nose broke and the other being beaten and put in a choke hold, while James promised the men they would find the same fate as Aro if they tried to overstep him again.

James held my hand as I stepped out of the car and quickly pulled me to his side, his hand resting on my hip as he led us towards the house.

"I can't wait to show you our home, Angel." I tried to control the urge to gag when he called me that. "I'll give you a quick tour before we settle in for the night."

As I slowly walked through the huge archway and into the foyer of the manor, my entire body jumped as the room echoed by the heavy doors when they shut behind us.

James chuckled softly and leaned down to place a kiss on my cheek before he ushered me further into the house.

Each room we walked by James or one of his men would give me a brief explanation of what the room was used for and let me know which ones I was allowed to be in – under different circumstances I would have been more eager to explore because it was such a beautiful place.

The ceilings were extremely high and as we walked further down the hallway our footsteps echoed – It reminded me more of a castle than a mansion. Even the outside of the house was gorgeous. The landscaping brought out the authenticity of the manor and yet kept it looking incredibly pristine, all the furnishings looked antique and were in great condition.

James kept his hand on the small of my back as his men continued to follow us through the house.

We had just started walking up the large stairway that led to the second floor when a man with dark hair approached us.

"Marcus." His voice held a slight accent.

James stopped and turned us towards him.

He was wearing black pants and a tight fitting grey shirt, and looked to be about the same size as James. His hair was cut short and I noticed he had hazel eyes. His features were sharp and muscular and if it weren't for the creepy way he kept looking me up and down I would have said he was handsome.

"Caius."

"You need to talk to the rest of the men about Aro," Caius said to James but never took his eyes from my face.

I quickly looked away feeling very uncomfortable with him staring at me but I could still feel his gaze on me. I felt a little stupid looking away like I did... almost like a child who believes that if you shut your eyes or don't look at someone, then they can't see you. I knew it was dumb but I really would have liked him to have disappeared when I looked back.

"It'll have to wait until the morning. It was a long flight and I'm going to take Bella up to our room."

James squeezed my shoulder lightly and turned us so we could head back up the stairs.

"But Marcus," he grabbed on to James forearm stopping him from walking away, "I think the men were looking forward to meeting Miss Bella." Once again his eyes landed on my face sending a sickening feeling through-out my body. James shrugged his arm out of his hold and glared at Caius. His eyes glistened as they roamed over my body again, however this time it did not go unnoticed by James.

I heard him growl before his fingers tightened their hold against my hip and pressed our bodies closer together.

"I think the _men_ better keep their eyes off of what's mine!" James seethed and led us away from Caius' dark chuckle.

He was breathing heavily while he kept a tight hold on me as we walked down the hallway.

"I don't want you near him," James hissed. I wasn't sure he was talking to me until I felt his finger tips dig into my hip. "Understand?"

I turned my head slightly so I could glance up at him and immediately nodded my head when I registered the furious look on his face.

I didn't want to show him I was scared, I felt that if he saw my fear it would only give him more power over me, and I quickly faced forward again. But the truth was... I was completely terrified. I had seen firsthand on several occasions what James could do when he was angry, and Caius had just pissed him off... I could feel the anger rolling off him.

"He's pretty pissed about Aro," Felix told him. "Marcello told him everything while you were asleep on the plane."

"Marcello shouldn't be a problem anymore and Caius can be easily dealt with if need be."

"I agree with you about Marcello, but Caius has been with Aro for a long time and has a lot of pull with the men, Marcus. I'm not too sure how many are going to side with Caius on this."

"If they're dumb enough to fuck with me after what I did to Aro, then they are obviously not the men I want working for me anyway."James stopped us in front of a large wooden door before reaching in his pocket to pull out some keys. "If Caius needs to be disposed of to make the men know not to fuck with me, then so be it."

"I don't think the rest of the family would appreciate you killing off everyone," Felix laughed.

It was extremely unsettling how easy it was for them to talk about killing people. I couldn't fathom taking another person's life... even a degenerate like James, unless it was self defense... but even then I'd have trouble with it. All the men around me speak of it as if it were like an everyday thing, which made me more nervous to be around them.

"Look," James sighed and opened the door for us, "the way I see it – I'm in charge now and if they don't like it they can kiss my ass. The plan when my father was alive had been for me to take over... the entire family knew this, I just made it happen sooner."

James ushered me into the room. I could still hear them talking but I really wasn't paying attention.

My eyes immediately locked on to the far wall. Two of the biggest windows I had ever seen gave me the most breathtaking view of the countryside. I could see the little village off towards the horizon, tiny houses and farms along the roadside. Trees and bushes and flowers seemed to be planted all across the hills in a variety of color which created a gorgeous image.

I was lost in the view and had forgotten about the men in the room until James voice brought me back to the present and I turned to see the men standing by the door.

"I'm fucking tired, Felix, if you have something to say then say it."

"I'm not trying to piss you off, Marcus but I think it'd be a good idea for you to have a meeting with them before you call it a night."

James huffed in annoyance.

"Fine get everyone together, I'll be down in about fifteen."

He shut the door and I turned back to look out the window. I heard him shuffling around the room and knew the minute he came to stand behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and goose bumps broke out across my skin.

"Do you like the view, Angel?" His lips lightly brushed the side of my face as he rested his head on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around me, bringing our bodies flush.

I bit my lip to keep from screaming in protest and just nodded my head.

"I thought you would."

I stood completely frozen as he began to run his lips up and down the side of my face and neck.

"I've missed you...God, you don't know how much I've missed you." He buried his nose in my hair and inhaled like his life depended on it. I couldn't help but cringe internally... he was smelling me... and just the way that he was doing it or simply because it was him doing it, grossed me out to no end.

"I need to go downstairs for a few minutes," he whispered softly before he pulled away.

I took a second to breathe a sigh of relief when his arms left my body before I glanced around the room and took in my surroundings. Aside from looking like it was a place meant for royalty, it had a very comfortable feel to it. I hated that thought immediately... there was no way I wanted to be here long enough to get comfortable. I missed my family, all of them, but especially my daughter and her beautiful smile, I missed putting her to bed every night and waking up to her every morning. I love how excited she would get over the tiniest of things. I missed everything about her.

I must have sighed out loud thinking about her because James came to stand in front of me and gently placed his hands on my face.

"Why don't you take a bath and try to relax... I know that plane ride must have been exhausting for you, Angel."

A bath did sound good, but what would I change in to.

"I don't have any clothes."

A huge grin broke across his face before he turned back towards the dresser and pulled out a lump of silky fabric. I watched as he carefully removed tags and then laid them on top of the mattress, which were a pair of tiny underwear and a short, spaghetti strap night gown. I realized that they must be my clothes.

He explained to me that I had an entire dresser and closet full of clothing. I didn't even want to know how or when he accumulated that so I didn't ask.

He showed me to the connecting bathroom before he kissed my cheek and left the room.

I cried the entire time I was in the bath.

The realization of everything that had happened had finally caught up to me and I wasn't able to control my emotions. The last time I saw my daughter she was being clutched protectively by my brother who had tears in his eyes. The last image I had of my husband was of him being lifted off the ground by Carlisle and Jasper, blood soaking his entire left side of his shirt. He had obviously been shot and I had no way of knowing for sure if he was alright. Something inside of me told me he was okay, but I will never forget how he looked as I drove away. I didn't know if he was mad at me for not listening to him. He warned me to stay put, he knew something bad might happen but still I didn't listen. I left the closet and now we were all in this horrible nightmare.

Sobs began to retch their way out of my body and I did nothing to try and stop them. I had to get them out, I had to release all the pent up emotions I had in me. I needed to give myself one night to cry... one night to feel sorry for my situation and get rid of the hopelessness I was feeling. Because after tonight I needed to concentrate on getting home and getting away from James before I would be forced to do something I never wanted to do again. I was going to have to bide my time but I would find a way to escape and get back to my husband and daughter.

The next day I met the rest of the men that were in the house, some were friendlier than others... although the majority of them gave me the same creepy look as Caius had.

James had instructed them to keep me safe but that under no condition were the men allowed to speak to me without him present.

Actually James gave the men a long list of what they were not supposed to do regarding me, but it did nothing but make me feel even more uncomfortable. Not only could I feel all the men growing annoyed with my presence but I was seeing a whole new side to James possessiveness, which frightened me even more.

The following days were spent in pretty much the same fashion.

I would wake up to James dry humping the hell out of my backside before he left to "work", and then I would spend my time exploring the house.

Unfortunately for me, every door to the outside was guarded by at least two men, so when I did step outside they called James and I was followed until he got there.

He never got mad at me for going outside that day... he actually encouraged it, which made me nauseous because he offered to do romantic strolls with me around the property to show me around. I declined, feigning a head ache.

I knew that escaping from the property was going to be impossible and I would need to create a reason for James to take me into town, so I could plan an escape from there. If I could build his trust maybe I wouldn't be watched so much and be able to make a break for it.

Unbeknownst to James, his _men _weren't as obedient as he thought. Several of them talked to me on a daily basis and a few even walked with me as I explored the house more.

One of the men, Laurent, who James had punched on the plane, helped me out the most. He was very kind and liked to talk as we would walk through the property. He and another man, Alec, helped me learn which of the men were alright to talk to and which I should avoid being alone with.

After the first few days eating alone in my room I convinced James to let me join him and the men in the kitchen, I was a little more relaxed around some, having been able to get to know them better, but I would never tell James that. I simply told him I was getting bored eating by myself. He didn't question it but he made sure to remind the men not to look at me or talk to me.

Whatever.

James took me exploring around the house one day and brought me to a library. When I walked inside I almost squealed like Alice. I hated how happy it made me when I saw all those books... I wasn't supposed to be happy; I was here with a psychotic man, oceans away from my family who were all probably miserable with worry. But I did need an outlet... I needed a place to keep me sane until I was able to reunite with my family and I couldn't help but enjoy the fact that I had so many books at my disposal.

If I thought the library at Rose's parents' house was huge... it was nothing compared to the mountains of books here.

James laughed and led me to a desk in the far corner where he had all my favorite novels laid out on top.

I looked at him in surprise and he shrugged with a smile.

"I bought these for you once before, remember?" His fingers grazed the cover of a few Austin titles before he wrapped me in his arms. "It was the day after we made love."

Of course I remembered, I would have very much liked to be able to forget but kept that to myself and nodded.

"That was the best day of my life, Angel." He turned me around in his arms and kissed me gently. "I love you... I love you so much, I always will."

I put a soft smile on my face, hoping it would suffice before he leaned down and kissed me.

"I'm glad you like the library. I've got some stuff I need to do, so I'll leave you alone to read." He kissed me a few more times before pulling away. "I love you and I'll see you later, okay?"

"OK."

After he left I sat at the desk so I could take a better look at the books. As I reached down and opened the cover to _Pride and Prejudice_ I stopped myself before I could get lost in the world of Austin. I couldn't afford to waste my time in romance... I needed to work on my escape plan.

There was no way I was going to make a life in Italy with James. My home was with my family back in Washington. I needed to get back to my daughter and husband. As nice as James had been recently I knew it was all an act. I've seen the monster that he really was and I wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

I stood and went in search for books on Italy.

I researched for days everything I could about Tuscany, trying to create a sightseeing trip in hopes that I could escape James somehow.

I had a few books open across the table and started writing down all the big tourist attractions, I figured if there were more people around and something goes wrong... maybe James would be less likely to make a scene.

I felt the hairs on the back of neck stand as a chill run up my spine and I knew he was in the room; I tried to ignore his eyes on me. I could feel him burning a hole in my head with his heated gaze as he watched me... he always watched me.

I had woken up several nights and found him lying in the bed next to me just staring. Even when he saw that I had woken up he never said anything... he just stared, like he was doing now.

I could feel him standing in the doorway; I could hear his heavy breathing as he stood watching me. I tried to ignore his presence but soon heard his footsteps and knew he was coming over to me. Not wanting him to touch me I looked up and smiled, trying to make it genuine.

"Hey," I said cheerfully.

He smiled back before his eyes narrowed a bit and he looked down at the books on the table.

I quickly spoke up. "I was hoping we could do some sightseeing. I've never been to Italy and there are so many beautiful attractions I'd like to see."

His face lit up, "Anything, Angel... I want you to be happy here."

I ignored the way his eyes softened when he spoke and quickly showed him what I had written down. We talked about where I wanted to go exploring and I told him I needed to find more information. I asked him if I could use the internet to start planning a trip, he agreed of course but made sure I knew his men would be watching my every move, which was code for 'don't try anything stupid'. I had hoped I would be able to try and send a quick email to my family to let them know where I was but I knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

The next two days I looked online and wrote down several different tours I wanted to go on, each would take an entire day to go through but I needed to get a feel for how James and his men were going to watch me as we moved through the cities. There was nothing conspicuous about them, they were major tourist attractions – IBikeTuscany bike tour, Chianti and S. Gimignano Tour, and several tiny wine tours.

Where I planned to make my escape was at a bed and breakfast tour. It was a total of six days; each day consisted of different places to explore and had an itinerary that mapped out the sites.

I showed everything to James and he had Felix set the whole thing up for us, we were going to leave in eight days.

My stomach dropped when I heard I would have to wait so long, I had already been away from my family for almost two weeks, and I was anxious to get back to them. I hadn't been able to talk to any of them since that horrible day we were separated and I was going crazy. I needed to talk to them, even if just for a second.

Three days later fate stepped in.

We had just finished eating dinner when one of James' men rushed in the room and told him he was needed outside, the other four men who were at the table with us got up and followed him, leaving me alone. As I stood to leave I noticed that three of the men left their jackets on the back of their chairs.

_It couldn't be that easy._

I thought maybe it was a test and I hesitated. I hesitated for all of about five seconds and quickly walked over and searched through the pockets.

Nothing.

I moved on to the next jacket.

Nothing.

"Please, please, please," I chanted quietly as I rifled though the last jacket. As soon as my fingers wrapped around the hard plastic I bit my lip to keep from screaming 'hallelujah' and rushed out of the room. I shut the door behind me as I entered the library and moved to a spot in the corner. One of the sites I had been on the other day had information about international calling; Italy's access code was 00. I thanked God and all the heavens that I would be able to make a call.

As soon as I heard that beautiful ring tears filled my eyes.

_"Hello."_

"Emmett!" I nearly shouted as tears spilled over. "Oh, God, Emmett."

_"Bella! Bella, where are you? Are you alright?"_

I could hear all the voices of my family in the background and I started to cry harder.

_"Where are you? Are you safe?"_

I tried to get a check on my emotions quickly because I wasn't sure how much time I had before they found me.

"I'm alright, we're in a little town in Tuscany." I wiped my eyes and took a quick breath. "Brother, I don't know how much longer I have, I stole this phone while they ran outside. They haven't hurt me, Em... James is... well, he's actually been nice, in his own creepy way."

_"We're working with Phil's men right now to get over there. We weren't exactly sure where James was going to take you, after what he did to Aro... yeah, we found out about that."_

"It was so horrible, Emmett... he just shot him like it was nothing," I cried softly.

_"Shh, Sis, it's alright... you're going to be alright. We're coming to get you. It's been difficult for us to come over because they have men watching every airport in Italy but Phil and a few of his guys are helping us out."_

"Please be careful, Emmett whatever you do – just be careful... Listen, I convinced James that I wanted to go sightseeing and we've planned a trip for the middle of next week. We'll arrive on the 3rd of July.. I want you to go to this website and you'll have the entire itinerary for our trip." I quickly told him the IP address "I planned on waiting for the perfect moment to just make a break for it..."

_"NO!"_ Emmett shouted. _"Don't try to run from them. You have no idea how helpful this is for us, Sis. Phil's men are loading up that site right now."_

"OK... How's Emma," my voice cracked as I said her name. I missed her so much it was literally killing me to not be with her.

"She's good, her and Rosie are upstairs taking a nap... she misses you. She wants a present. Edward told her you're away for vacation."

"Edward... is he okay. I saw him get shot... Oh, God, there was so much blood, Em, tell me he's alright," I cried into the phone. But he didn't answer. "Em? Em?"

My heart started racing and all sorts of horrible things rushed through my mind until I heard the most beautiful voice come through the speaker.

_"Is it really you, love?"_

"Edward!" I sobbed.

_"Bella... fuck, Bella, I miss you so much,"_ I could hear the tears in his voice.

"Oh my God, Edward, I miss you too... Are you alright? There was much blood on you."

_"You were basically kidnapped and you're worried about me,"_ he laughed softly. "_The bullet went straight through the top of my shoulder, barely missed my collar bone, no major damage."_

"I love you, I love you so freaking much and I'm glad you're okay," tears came pouring down my face as my entire body sighed in relief. I had missed his voice so much.

_"I love you too, Bella."_

"I was so scared you'd be mad at me... I know you told me to stay there with Emma but I couldn't let him kill you guys... I could hear him threatening you and I just couldn't let it happen– "

He quickly cut me off. _"Stop. I am so fucking proud of you. You did what you had to in order to protect our daughter and it worked; now you need to let me do what I need to in order to get you back. We're coming to get you."_

"I love you... I don't know if I'll be able to get to a phone again. I'm not sure what's going to happen to me if I get caught with this one."

_"Has he hurt you? Has he..."_ his voice trailed off but I knew what he was asking.

"No, he hasn't hurt me." I heard him exhale through the phone. "He scares me most of the time but he hasn't hurt me. I don't really want to tell you the things he's done, but just know he hasn't done _that_."

I felt ill even mentioning that to him, I didn't want to get into detail about the things he's done but I know Edward and I know he needed to hear the truth.

"Please don't hate me, Edward. I love you so much and I swear on everything it's your face I see when I'm forced to kiss him... I promise. You are always and will always be the only one."

_"I love you more than anything in the world, Bella. There is nothing you could do to make me hate you." _

"I got to get off the phone before I'm caught. Please take care of Emma. Tell her I love her and miss her so much."

_"She knows, love. You're brother wants to talk to you again."_

"OK."

_"I love you, Bella and I will be there as soon as I can."_

"I love you, too."

I heard some shuffling and some major protest from Alice in the background after Edward told her she couldn't talk to me before my brother got on the phone.

_"Sis, Phil says he can get us on a plane tonight which would get us there with plenty of time to scope out the perfect spot for things to go down."_

"OK, just be careful. I wish there was way I could call you again but I need to put the phone back before I'm caught."

_"If you ever get to a phone again call my number. I'm going down right now to get an international one for when we get to Italy. I'm not going to miss an opportunity to hear from you. You keep yourself safe, do you hear me?"_

"Yes, same goes for you," my voice cracked at the end.

It was hard not to get emotional talking with him. Once I heard his voice images of my brother ran through my mind.

How we used to play together when we were little, he would always include me with whatever he did. He never left me out. I remember the look on his face when he first saw his niece in the hospital. He had the biggest grin and his eyes lit up. His entire body radiated with the love he had for her; it was one of the most precious moments of my life. I remember how loved I felt when he walked me down to meet Edward on our wedding day. There was nothing but love and pride in his eyes as he handed me over to Edward.

I took a deep breath and then sighed into the phone.

"I love you and I miss you so much."

_ "I'll be there soon, Belly Bear."_

I had been so absorbed in my phone call that I hadn't heard the footsteps, but his voice was unmistakable.

"Who are you talking to, Bella?" His voice came out calm and collected but I knew better. My entire body shook with fear as I turned my head to look at James' murderous glare.

"_Bella? Bella? Was that him? Are you okay? Sis?"_

I could hear Emmett screaming on the phone but I was unable to do anything.

"Who the _fuck_ are you talking to, Bella?" James hissed as those icy blue eyes glared down at me while he walked closer. Gone was the calmness from seconds ago, replaced with his obvious rage.

_"He better not fucking hurt you... We're coming, Sis, just hang on. We're coming." _

But I knew if something was going to happen, no one would get here in time to save me.

I stared back at James, my eyes wide in fear while I tried to figure out what to tell him.

"I-I just, I mean, I w-was..."

He stood in front of me and because I was sitting on the floor he looked incredibly threatening as he towered over me.

"Who were you talking to?" He asked in a hostile tone that had my stomach in knots.

"A-Al-Alice," I whispered.

"What?" He narrowed his eyes at me and looked at the phone.

"I was talking to Alice." But my hands were shaking so bad I ended up dropping the phone, which James reached down to pick up, causing me to flinch.

"Alice, huh?" He asked disbelieving. "Well let's see if she picks up when I call back."

I tried to swallow the lump that was in my throat but it was no use. I bit my lip to try and control it from trembling as I watched him press redial.

I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks but it was pointless to wipe them away. I was scared for my life as I watched him put the phone up to his ear. Not only was he going to find out I lied to him but I could only imagine what it was going to do to him when he heard my brother pick up the phone or worse...Edward.

"James, please don't," I pleaded softly.

"Shh, Angel, it's ringing," he told me softly. But the tone and the way his face held that menacing glare, I knew I was in trouble. My heart was beating so hard I swore James could have heard it, my entire body flushed and I felt myself begin to sweat.

I was counting down the seconds for James' wrath; I've seen it several times and knew that it was going to be directed at me once James heard my brothers' voice.

God must have been watching out for me because the only thing I heard on the line was a very high pitch yell.

_"Bella! Bella! What happened, are you there? Did he hurt you?"_

I was sure Alice's voice could be heard from the other side of town. My brother must have heard me talking to James before the phone hung up, my entire body collapsed against the wall as relief rushed through me, my body shaking with silent sobs.

_"Bella? Talk to me!"_

"Alice, long time no talk to," James sneered.

_"James... you-you sick bastard. If you did anything to hurt her – " _

He was quick to cut her off, "You'll what? Sick good ol' Jasper boy on me? Come on now, you should know by now not to fuck with me."

_"Where's Bella? Put her on the phone!"_

"I don't think so Alice... Bella is mine and you fucking people better start realizing that. Don't ever try to contact her again." Then James flipped the phone shut and returned to glare at me.

Faster than I thought possible, he gripped my upper arms and lifted me to my feet. His height still had him towering over me and the way he was shaking my entire body was making him look even more terrifying.

"What the hell were you thinking, huh?"

"I'm sorry," I cried as his hands squeezed tighter and he gave another violent shake.

"Why did you call her? Is she with _him_? Huh! Is that who you were really talking to?"

"No," I sobbed. "I just missed her and I wanted to talk to her."

"Did I fucking tell you you could call anyone?" he glared at me menacingly.

"I'm sorry... please let go, James. You're hurting me." He was practically holding me up in the air at that point but he continued to ignore my pleas.

"I did _not_ give you permission to talk to anyone!"

"I just miss my family," tears poured down my face as he continued to shake me. "I want to go home."

His face was red and his eyes were glazed over as he continued to scream at me. In all the times in the past I had never seen him as angry as he was in that moment. And I thought I had seen him at his worst, but I was obviously wrong. I was staring in the eyes of a man who was completely out of control, nothing I was saying was getting through to him, and it scared me even more.

"You. Are. Mine." He growled and pulled my body closer to his, never loosening his hold on my arms.

I nodded my head vigorously, just wanting him to let go of my arms.

"Don't you see? Your life is with me, not them... You can't get away from me, you tried that once and it didn't work." He pulled me so that are faces were level and our noses were brushing against each other as he seethed. He took a deep breath and then gave me a sinister smirk before he added. "If you ever try and leave I'll hunt you down... again... Do you hear me!"

"Yes! I'm sorry, I'm sorry... Please stop, James you're hurting me."

"You don't call her again, got it?" His fingers managed to squeeze even more as he spoke and I nodded my head. "Stop thinking about them..."

"I'm sorry." My voice was almost gone from crying so hard, my words came out in an almost whisper.

"This is your home. _Here_. _With_. _Me_." He kept his fierce stare locked with me terrified one as he annunciated each word.

"OK," I cried pathetically.

He finally let go of his hold on my arms only to wrap his around my waste and keep me against him.

"I can't live without you, Bella." His voice took on a softer tone as he forced my body off the ground, lifting me up and making me wrap my legs around his waist while he carried me through the library and back to our room, setting me gently on the bed. He stood between my legs and softly cupped my cheeks.

"We were meant to be, why can't you see that?"

I sat and stared at him silently, completely terrified at how wild his mood swings were. I tried not to flinch but was unsuccessful, when one of his hands moved to brush a piece of my hair off my face. If James saw my flinch he didn't acknowledge it. His eyes continued to take on an inventory of my face as his fingers gently brushed across my cheeks.

"We will never be apart. Never!"

Although he wasn't shouting anymore, his voice was still very stern, and I didn't want to say anything to make him mad again. I shook my head in understanding.

"OK... I'm sorry. I won't call her again."

"Good," he said matter-of-fact, and placed a soft kiss at the tip of my nose before smiling and backing up a bit.

My arms started to throb painfully and my hands instinctively flew up to massage where James had gripped me so painfully.

"Oh, God... I did it again," James cried and fell to his knees in front of me. His arms wrapped tightly around my waist as he lay his head in my lap.

I was in shock and didn't know how to react. The same man, who only moments ago threatened me, was now on his knees crying in my lap.

"I'm so fucking sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." He tried to pull me closer but kept his head in my lap. "I didn't mean to grab you that hard, angel, please believe me. I never want to hurt you."

I sat stock-still; I wasn't really sure what to do. My arms were still throbbing and I was scared out of my mind, but he looked so harmless with his head in my lap, so incredibly vulnerable right. But then again that's how it always worked with him.

He'd yell and hurt me, then beg me to forgive him, which I always did, and then we'd have make-up sex, and there was no way in hell I wanted that.

"I'm sorry, Bella... please tell me you forgive me, please. I love you so much." He cried out before he lifted his head off my lap. He had tears rolling slowly down his cheeks and looked so broken. I didn't want him mad at me again but I didn't want him to assume we were going to 'make-up' and I hesitated briefly before wiping the tears from his face.

"I just need a little time, James... I'm not saying I'll stay mad forever but you can't keep hurting me and then say you love me. That's not love."

I thought I saw a flash of anger in his eyes but it was gone quickly and he nodded his head.

"I know and I fucking hate myself right now. I don't want to hurt you, you have to know that. I just get so mad sometimes and it's like I can't help it... I'm so scared you'll try to leave me again and I can't handle that thought."

"Where am I going to go, James?"

He sighed heavily and took a few minutes to get his self under control, the whole time keeping his arms around my waist.

"You're right." I thought for a moment he was talking about me telling him to stop hurting me but I was wrong. "You don't have anywhere to go."

And cue the asshole.

He even managed to chuckle before standing back up and pulling me to my feet.

"Nothing and nobody will be able to take you away from me."

I turned my head at the last second when his lips came down for a kiss and he ended up kissing my cheek.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?" he said playfully as he pulled back. I said nothing and sat back down on the bed. "I'll leave you alone for a little awhile, angel... give you some time to cool down."

He kissed my cheek once more before he turned to leave the room but he walked to the closest instead and pulled out a guitar case.

"I got this for you... thought maybe you'd like to play."

I tried to look angry still but I was thrilled to see a guitar. I loved playing and haven't had the opportunity to for awhile.

He walked over and laid it on the bed so he could open it.

"It's the same as the one you had before, right?"

I nodded and gently lifted it out of the case.

I felt James watching me as I adjusted the strings but I refused to make eye contact with him.

"I always loved listening to you sing. Would you sing for me right now?"

"Umm, I'm kind of tired right now but maybe later."

I was actually dancing inside with the idea of being able to play a guitar and sing, but not for him. I would wait until he left the room.

"Alright, I'm going to head downstairs for awhile. I'll be back in a bit. I am sorry I hurt you, angel." He leaned over and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I love you," he said before he left the room.

No matter how bad I wanted to believe everyone had some good in them, James had proven that some people were just plain evil.

I played with the strings a little more until they were perfect and then began to lightly strum my fingers across the guitar as I thought about my family.

I may have been in a crappy situation but all my life I had been blessed with people who cared about me. I had a brother who never left my side and an entire second family who was there for me after my parents passed. Not only was Edward brought into my life and showed me what love truly was, but I was also blessed with Emma and learned a different level of loving someone, the second I heard her tiny heart beat.

As I sat on that bed with thoughts of home and a guitar in my hand, my mother's favorite song came to mind and my fingers started to play the chords. We were never a very religious family but no one could deny how beautiful the song was. It had been one of my mom's favorites since I was little.

_Well I've heard there was a sacred chord  
David played and it pleased the Lord  
But you don't really care for music, do you?_

_Well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth  
the minor fall and the major lift  
the baffled King composing  
Hallelujah_

_ Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

I don't remember how many times a day my mom would play the song, but we never got tired of listening. Even my dad enjoyed it, I caught him a few times humming along with her.

_Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof  
You saw her bathing alone on the roof  
Her beauty and the moonlight over threw you_

_And she tied you to her kitchen chair  
She broke your throne, she cut your hair  
and from your lips she drew the  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Well baby I have been here before  
I've seen this room, and I've walked this floor  
you know I used to live alone before I knew ya_

_And I've seen your flag on the marble arch  
and love is not a victory march  
it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah, yea  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

The day that her cassette tape broke was the day I started singing the song for her. Edward taught me how to play it on the guitar and after that, my mom never wanted to hear another version.

_Well maybe there is a God above  
but all I ever learned from love  
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you_

_And it's not a cry that you hear at night  
it's not somebody who's seen the light  
it's a cold and it's a broken  
Hallelujah, oh  
Hallelujah, oh Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

I wasn't sure if it was the song or the memories it brought back but I couldn't stop smiling. Even when I set the guitar down and noticed the few men who stood in the doorway, my smile never disappeared.

Things were going to be alright, I would be going home soon. I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to happen but I knew Emmett and Edward were coming to bring me back home.

I smiled to Alec and Laurent and told them goodnight.

"Goodnight, Bella," they both said.

As I was shutting the door, something in the way they looked at me gave me the feeling that I may not be the only one in the house trying to get me home.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, let me have it. **


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer... it all belongs to SM... just having some fun with them**

**A/N:**

**I need to apologize profusely for the –almost year long– wait.**

**This has been one of the hardest years of my life. I went through and ugly divorce and an even uglier custody battle. Having to fight for my daughter was something that I never thought I would have to go through. Took months and months of ugliness but finally ended in joint custody. She lives with me, thank God, but it took a lot of money, stress and fighting to make that happen.**

**Between the court dates, football practices, school filed trips, I had to find a night job, which drained me of all energy. My creativeness completely shut down and no matter how hard I tried to write I just didn't have it in me. **

**I'm sorry for all of you who had to wait this long, but my RL was a bitch and it was top priority. I didn't want to make you think there was another chapter by posting an Authors note so I just left it alone.**

**Things have finally settled down and I'll try my damnedest to post regularly, unfortunately with the way things are going it'll be about a month at a time.**

**I hope you stick with me while my story comes to its end... it's almost finished.**

**i would suggest going back and re-reading the last chapter to refresh your mind of where we left off at. **

**Again, I am truly sorry for the long ass wait, but I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

**EPOV**

_A press release was held at the Husky campus today for the athletes who were drafted this year into the NFL. Unfortunately, USW's starting linebacker and a Seahawk hopeful may have ruined his chance in the draft all together and it's not due to an injury. We had received word that Seattle Seahawk hopeful, Emmett Swan, had missed a meeting with Seahawks coach last weekend, due to a family emergency, that emergency being – the kidnapping of his only sister. Mr. Swan was not at the college press release, however, he did make a few comments when reporters caught up with him as he was the leaving the FBI field office downtown._

Instantly the screen changed from the news room to a clip of Emmett, his face still fresh with the bruises from James and his goons. We had just left the FBI office, as soon as we opened the doors, microphones were thrown into Emmett's face. We tried out hardest to ignore them and push our way to the cars, but not all that successful.

"_Mr. Swan, is it true you were present when your sister was abducted?"_

"_No comment."_

"_Did the kidnapper do that to your face?"_

"_No comment."_

"_Was there more than one?"_

"_No comment."_

"_Mr. Swan, can you tell us anything about the kidnapping?"_

Emmett hesitated for a second and addressed one of the reporters.

"_Yeah... I'm not interested in doing interviews right now; my main concern is getting my sister back home safely."_

"_Do you think you'll find her alive?"_

I'm not sure if the reporter meant it to be a dick question but Emmett didn't give it a second thought before he lunged at the reporter, grabbing him by the throat. A cameraman continued to film as several people tried to pull Emmett away. The camera ends up getting hit as well and the picture becomes static with muffled noises from the microphone before it shuts off and returns back to the news room.

_As you can see this is a very emotional time for the Swan – Cullen family. Reports say Bella was married a few weeks before her abduction, the couple share a 20 month old daughter. Our prayers go out to the family. If anyone has any information on her whereabouts please inform local authorities immediately. _

"Damn," I heard Emmett groan on the couch next to me. "I didn't think it would still be airing on ESPN."

"I know you wanted to keep this as private as possible, but that's not how it turned out," Rosalie said, "Maybe this will help in finding her faster. More people might recognize her if they see her on the street or something."

"I just want her home," he said as she wrapped her arms around him.

_We all do._

It had been almost three weeks since I watched the love of my life be pulled into the back of a car. I haven't been able to eat or really sleep. The few times I've actually got some sleep all I could see was the image of her being forced into that car. Tears streaming down her face while she was being dragged across the yard by her hair and not being able to do anything about it, has been killing me. And to make it worse we have no idea what exactly James' sick twisted mind is thinking of doing to her.

We had no way of following after them and it wasn't until the local police found the body of Aro at an abandoned airfield, that they even knew how they got away.

It's just been one big cluster fuck.

Phil and his men recovered from their injuries and have been working with us around the clock trying to come up with a plan to get her back.

We know that James crossed over into Italy but we don't know what town he's hiding in. Phil's men said the majority of the airports have been watched by the locals for years, as a way to show that family their loyalty. Apparently Aro was thought of as a saint to those who didn't cross him.

"I think it's time for her nap, Edward." I looked up from my musings to see my sister holding a very sleepy Emma. I quickly stood up and reached for her.

"You want Daddy to read a story?" I asked as my arms encircled around her.

She shook her head and looked up through her hair that had fallen in her face.

"Aunty Rose," she said shyly, then smiled her big toothy grin at me causing me to laugh.

It was an inside joke between me and Rosalie and that turned out everybody was in on, including my daughter.

I have always been very animated when I read to Emma, always disguising my voice and showing emphasis where it was needed throughout the story. Rosalie had walked in one night as I was reading Cinderella and apparently my princess voice was not sufficient. She sat down next to us and took the book from my hands, finishing the story in her best 'princess' voice, before we both kissed Emma goodnight and left the room, Rosalie with a smug smile on her face.

That night started an unspoken challenge of best story telling. Emma has never said who she liked the best, but every time one of us asks if she wants a story she'll ask for the other to read it.

Always with an innocent smile, and big doe eyes, just like her mother.

Emma made her rounds of kisses before Rosalie carried her up to bed, my mom following suit.

Just in time, too, because Phil sat down next to my dad and Emmett, with what I assume were the plans we had talked about last night.

We listened and discussed 'what if' and 'just in case', scenarios for over an hour before Emmett's phone rang.

Grabbing his phone off the table, his brows furrowed. "It says unknown caller... Hello."

We all watched as his face drained of all color and he nearly fell off the couch.

"Bella... Bella, where are you? Are you alright?"

My heart beat as if it would fly out of my chest any second and I rushed to his side, praying to God that it was really her.

"Where are you? Are you safe?" He quickly asked, his voice shaking a bit.

It was hard to hear what she was saying; all I could make out was that she was crying, her voice was muffled through the phone.

Emmett took a deep breath, I'm sure to get his own emotions in check before speaking.

"We're working with Phil's men right now to get over there. We weren't exactly sure where James was going to take you, after what he did to Aro... yeah, we found out about that."

His eyes locked on with mine and I could tell whatever she was saying it was breaking his heart.

"Shh, Sis, it's alright... you're going to be alright. We're coming to get you. It's been difficult for us to come over because they have men watching every airport in Italy but Phil and a few of his guys are helping us out."

Emmett continued to listen to her nodding his head as if she could see him, then quickly picked up a pen and began writing something down, handing it to Phil who grabbed the laptop and typed in some website for Tuscany tours.

_She's in Tuscany?_

"NO!" Emmett shouted causing everyone in the room to look his way. "Don't try to run from them. You have no idea how helpful this is for us, Sis. Phil's men are loading up that site right now."

I heard him sigh and a small smile formed on his face. "She's good, her and Rosie are upstairs taking a nap... she misses you. She wants a present. Edward told her you're away for vacation."

A few seconds later, Emmett looked at me and hesitantly handed over his phone. I could tell he didn't want to get off the phone with her but he knew we needed to talk to each other. I looked at him sympathetically and with shaky hands brought the phone to my ear.

"Is it really you, love?"

"_Edward!"_ I heard her cry and at that moment tears sprung to my own eyes.

"Bella... fuck, Bella, I miss you so much."

"_Oh my God, Edward, I miss you too... Are you alright? There was much blood on you."_

"You were basically kidnapped and you're worried about me," I laughed softly. "The bullet went straight through the top of my shoulder, barely missed my collar bone, no major damage." I slowly rolled my shoulder, not really noticing the slight sting the bullet would still held.

"_I love you, I love you so freaking much and I'm glad you're okay."_

It killed me to hear her crying but I was so happy she was alive.

"I love you too, Bella."

"_I was so scared you'd be mad at me... I know you told me to stay there with Emma but I couldn't let him kill you guys... I could hear him threatening you and I just couldn't let it happen–_ "

"Stop..." I wouldn't let her finish. "I am so fucking proud of you. You did what you had to in order to protect our daughter and it worked; now you need to let me do what I need to in order to get you back. We're coming to get you."

"_I love you... I don't know if I'll be able to get to a phone again. I'm not sure what's going to happen to me if I get caught with this one."_

"Has he hurt you... Has he..." I literally had to swallow down bile at the thought of him putting his hands on her, forcing himself on her. The room became deathly quiet as they stood around waiting to hear her answer.

"_No, he hasn't hurt me." _

The entire room sighed in relief after I shook my head no.

"_He scares me most of the time but he hasn't hurt me. I don't really want to tell you the things he's done, but just know he hasn't done that."_

I wanted to kill James for hurting her, for taking my daughters mother from her, from taking my wife from me. The first chance I get, I planned on making him pay for all the months of their relationship that he abused her and all the years he made her live in fear.

"_Please don't hate me, Edward. I love you so much and I swear on everything it's your face I see when I'm forced to kiss him... I promise. You are always and will always be the only one."_

Her tears did nothing to help my resolve; each sob was like a dagger to my heart.

"I love you more than anything in the world, Bella. There is nothing you could do to make me hate you."

"_I got to get off the phone before I'm caught. Please take care of Emma. Tell her I love you and miss her so much."_

"She knows, love." Emmett had stood next to me and asked to talk to her before we hung up. As much as I needed to keep talking to her I knew that her time was limited. "You're brother wants to talk to you again."

"_OK."_

"I love you, Bella and I will be there as soon as I can."

"_I love you, too."_

It took everything in me to hand him that phone, but I felt so much better knowing that she was alive and she was alright... well as alright as she could be, being held against her will by an obsessive psychopath.

"Sis, Phil says he can get us on a plane tonight which would get us there with plenty of time to scope out the perfect spot for things to go down."

I stood next to Phil and read a little over his shoulder as I tried to listen to Emmett's conversation.

"If you ever get to a phone again call my number. I'm going down right now to get an international one for when we get to Italy. I'm not going to miss an opportunity to hear from you. You keep yourself safe, do you hear me?"

"_I love you and I miss you so much."_

"I'll be there soon, Belly Bear." I could hear the desperation in his voice and I honestly could say I felt the same way. We were both glad she was okay but we wanted her back. Then all of a sudden the positive energy in the room drained the moment we saw the look on Emmett's face.

"Bella? Bella? Was that him? Are you okay? Sis?" He began to shout and I ran over grabbing the phone from him and pressing the speaker button. "I'll fucking kill him, Bella... Keep fighting, Sis... no matter what you do, you keep fighting. We're coming, Bella!"

"_Who the fuck are you talking to, Bella?"_

I could tell the voice on the other end was James, that fucking prick was going to die as soon as I got a hold of him.

Emmett was the first one in the room to shout at the phone.

"He better not fucking hurt you... We're coming, Sis, just hang on. We're coming."

My poor wife's voice could barely be heard through our end but we could hear the fear in her words.

"_I-I just, I mean, I w-was..."_

"_Who were you talking to?"_ James spoke again, trying his hardest to scare her... who knows what that lunatic would do if he found out she called us.

"_A-Al-Alice,"_ we heard her whisper.

"_What?"_ He shouted at her.

"_I was talking to Alice..."_ we heard her say right before the line went dead.

"Bella! Bella!" Emmett screamed as he held the phone. "Fuck!"

"Phil we can't wait any longer we need to get over there now. Who knows what the fucker is doing to her." I yelled at him, angry at the situation and completely terrified for her.

"Could you trace it at all?" Alice asked through her tears.

Phil shook his head no and my sister fell back on the couch crying.

"She must be so scared, Jasper. I could hear it in her voice." Alice continued to cry as Jasper held her on the couch. "We need to get her back."

"I know sweetheart, I know." He said softly.

Then everybody went completely still as the phone rang again.

"It's unknown."

"Give it to Alice," my dad said forcefully, before Emmett could answer it. "He'll be expecting Bella to be lying."

My sister greedily grabbed onto the phone, quickly putting it on speaker so we all could hear.

"Bella! Bella! What happened, are you there? Did he hurt you?"

We all held our breaths when there only silence on the other end.

"Bella? Talk to me!" We could hear the desperation in her voice as she continued to call for my wife.

"_Alice, long time no talk to,"_ James disgusting voice sneered, causing everyone to be on edge as we listened.

"James... you-you sick bastard. If you did anything to hurt her – "

He cut her off, _"You'll what? Sick good ol' Jasper boy on me? Come on, you should know by now not to fuck with me."_

"Where's Bella? Put her on the phone!"

"_I don't think so Alice... Bella is mine and you fucking people better start realizing that. Don't ever try to contact her again."_

Both my hands fisted at my sides while we all stood helpless miles away from her as we listened to his sickening voice before the call ended.

"Dammit!" Alice screeched and threw the phone on the couch. "That stupid bastard hung up on me."

The next few minutes past by in a blur.

Phil, Carl, Stan, David, Emmett, my dad and I began to scramble around the house like we were on fire... We were packing only what we need, saying goodbye to the girls, and making phone calls for more of Phil's men to meet us at the airport.

It was time.

We were going to get my wife back.

**BPOV**

The warmth of the sun hit my skin immediately as I stepped out of the museum and onto the street.

We were into the third day of our trip and I was getting more anxious by the second, waiting for my brother to save me. I was ready to get back to my daughter and my family.

The surprising thing was that James hadn't been at all like he was at the manor. I wasn't naïve enough to think he had turned over a new leaf, I knew the sick twisted Marcus that I had grown to fear was still under the surface, but it was nice to not be worried about being raped or hit.

He wasn't trying to push himself on me or say crude things to me, and on the nights that Laurent or Alec couldn't find an excuse to get him out of the room, James would have this tender look in his eyes while he held me. Before it would be a creepy, stalker glare but now it was gentle and kind. He didn't try and force himself on me anymore, which I was extremely grateful for. He was treating me as if he was courting me all over again and until my brother showed up I had no choice but to play along. Even if it meant holding his hands or letting him kiss me here or there, I did what needed to be done until I was returned to my family.

A tug on my hand snapped me out of my musings. James was looking at me lovingly and brought my hand to his mouth, kissing it gently.

"How did you like that museum, Angel?"

I smiled and told him honestly, "It was one of my favorites. Everything was so beautiful."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." He smiled widely and brought our hands back down to our sides before leading us back in the direction of our hotel, causing my stomach to drop a little.

I needed to stay out as much as possible, it would be easier for Emmett and the men to grab me out in the open as opposed to sneaking in past James' guards.

I tugged gently on James' hand causing him to stop walking and turn towards me.

"Angel?" His face had shown no signs of irritation, only curiosity.

"Why are we going back to the hotel?" I asked him after releasing my lip from between my teeth.

He chuckled softly and shrugged. "I thought you might like to take a quick nap, you've done a lot of walking these past few days."

And it was true. Being in small villages there really was no need to drive cars and we've been exploring most of these towns on foot. As tired and as sore as my feet were I wanted to stay outside as long as possible, hoping that I would be saved.

I stared back at James soft expression and shook my head, hoping that I wouldn't anger him.

"My feet don't hurt at all, and I really wanted to see more of the sights today, James."

A small smile formed on his face.

"Okay, Angel, we'll keep walking."

I sighed in relief and smiled, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled back. His fingers reached for the lock of hair that was in my face, and delicately placed it behind my ear, before he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

The moment his lips touched my skin a loud commotion came from behind us. It sounded like something had been knocked over and even though I heard more than one man's voice, I couldn't make out what had been said. Before I had a chance to turn around and look, James had moved in front of me, with all his men next to us.

I could barely peak over their shoulders but I was able to see a few trash cans across the street from us had been knocked over and it took everything in me not to start jumping up and down. Something in my gut told me my brother was here and as quick as my feeling of relief came, the feeling of dread replaced it. Each one of James' men had their guns drawn and pointed at the small building across from us.

"Laurent, go check it out," James whispered harshly.

As the seconds ticked by I held my breath, as much as I wanted to be rescued I didn't want my family getting hurt. Each one of his footsteps closer to the building felt like a countdown to an execution. I had no idea how many men came with my brother, or what would happen when they started shooting, horrible scenarios whipped through my head as I watched him get closer. Laurent approached cautiously and began to look around, shifting his foot through the bushes next to the building.

I closed my eyes tightly not wanting to see what was going to happen.

"I got him!" Alec shouted from the other side of the building, forcing me to look up.

I immediately let out the breath I had been holding and leaned into James' back, willing my heart to slow down, any second I was going to pass out.

"Fucking cats!" I heard one of the men say before I felt James' body shake with laughter.

"Come on, Angel, let's go." he turned around with a smile on his face, still amused from the situation. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he chuckled. I hadn't even been aware I was until I felt his fingers on my cheeks. "It was just a stupid cat, nothing to get worked up over."

How dare he find any of this funny? It could have been my family, and what kind of people walk down the street loaded with guns, ready to shoot at the first sign of danger. It's because of him I'm scared of my own shadow; it's his fault I'm this terrified even in daylight. And all he can do is laugh.

I don't know what came over me but it wasn't until the stinging in my palm hit me, did it register that I had just slapped him. Too upset to care I glared at him through my tears.

"What's wrong?" I mocked him. "You can't just do that to me, James. You can't!" I could feel the tears rolling down my face but I couldn't stop them. "I hate violence... I hate it and I hate guns, each one of you has had a gun on this whole time?" The events from the past month had finally taken its toll on me and I snapped. Everything was too much. "You don't just pull guns out in the middle of a crowded street, James! Someone could have gotten hurt, a gun could have accidently gone off and could have shot someone... why are you so ready to hurt people? "

No one said anything and even though I was almost in hysterics I could see his men putting their guns back into their jackets.

"Why, J-J-James?" I closed my eyes and continued to sob in the middle of the street. "W-why do you want to h-h-urt people?"

"Shit," James whispered, right before I felt myself being lifted into someone's arms, instinctively my arms wrapped around his neck to keep from falling. "I'm sorry, Angel... it was only to keep you safe."

"I d-d-don't want to l-l-live like that," I cried into his neck.

"Shh," he tried to soothe. "Shh, it's over now."

"You can't d-d-do that anymore," I sobbed. "You can't."

"Shh," he tightened his hold around me and pulled me closer against him. "I'm so sorry, baby."

As he continued to carry me down the street, I felt him placing small kisses on top of my head which only caused me to cry more. They weren't the kisses I wanted; his arms weren't the ones I wanted touching me, comforting me. I missed Edward so much at that moment. I never had to be worried about guns or people getting hurt when I was with Edward. He made me feel safe and loved and I wanted that back.

"I'm taking Bella back to the hotel."

I had wanted to stay outside, but I didn't argue with him because at that point I was so exhausted from everything, all I wanted was to lay down. James informed the men we were heading back and ordered Felix to radio Caius and Antonio to meet up with him at the hotel.

"Boss?" I heard one of the men say with some urgency in his voice.

"What is it?"

"Your uncle and his men were spotted right outside of town."

"Radio the boys to check out the hotel," he said tightly.

"Marcello and Caius are with him." Felix told James hesitantly.

His grip on me tightened and I could feel his breathing stop for a fraction of a second before it began to speed up, beating so hard I could feel it against me.

His pace began to quicken and the tiny edge in voice may have gone unnoticed by the men, but not to me.

James was scared.

Since the first day I saw him I have never heard or seen him show any kind of fear towards anything.

_What the hell could he be scared of?_

I lifted my head off his chest to get a better look at his face; I needed to see if I was just imagining it. But the minute his eyes met mine, I knew for certain James was frightened, but what he said next let me know he wasn't scared for himself.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Bella." James said firmly.

"What do you mean?" I asked breathlessly, immediately worried that whatever had him scared could possibly want to hurt me.

But my question was ignored as they continued to race back to the hotel.

Everyone was in a jumbled mess trying to secure the hotel, guarding the doors and windows. Men were standing in each hallway, while James brought me to the room, carefully depositing me on the bed.

His tough exterior had completely disappeared as his calloused hands gently cupped my face.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep them away from you."

_Huh? _

"What are you talking about, James?" I hated how my voice trembled but I couldn't stop it, he was scaring me. "Keep who away?"

"You don't leave this room, do you understand?" His voice was calm yet firm. He leaned in and kissed my forehead before releasing my face and standing up.

"James, keep who away?" I asked again, knowing he wasn't going to answer.

He continued to ignore me as he walked across the room and out the door.

I could hear him talking with some men in the hallway but couldn't make sense of what they were saying. Every now and then I would hear the names Giovanni and Efram, but I had no idea who those men were. I only knew that James did not like them.

I continued to sit on the bed listening, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees until the voices disappeared and I was left with silence, Which gave me nothing but time to stress myself out with wondering.

My thoughts were all over the place trying to figure out what James was talking about and why he was so worried. Who were those men that had him so upset, and who he was trying to keep away? Was I to believe I was in danger from these men? I had no idea what I could have possibly done to make a complete stranger want to get me, the whole situation was frustrating.

I had been living in nothing but fear since James came into my life. Years of my life wasted being afraid of him. And now he brings me across country just so I can be scared of more people. Nothing made sense.

_How do I know those men are bad guys? Maybe they're here to help me and James doesn't want to let me go. But maybe I do need to be afraid. After everything James has done to me, in his sick and twisted mind he really doesn't want to see me hurt, so obviously these men are wanting to hurt me._

Somewhere along my internal rant I had began pacing and only stopped when I heard my stomach growl.

As I was eating some grapes off the table I nearly choked on one as the door to my room flew open and a very nervous and anxious Alec and Laurent barged in.

"Miss Bella, you need to come with us now!"

Completely surprised and terrified to have them rush in the room, I stood frozen next to the table, until I felt Alec grab onto my arm and lead me out the door. I felt something being placed on my shoulders and realized Laurent had managed to grab my sweater for me. I quickly pulled my arms through the sleeves and looked at Laurent.

"Guys wh –," I tried to say but Alec placed his hands over my mouth.

"Shh, Miss Bella, you have to keep quiet."

I silently nodded and continued to be led through the hallways, not having any idea where they were taking me. I knew enough about James to know I needed to be scared, and I was, but the few weeks I had been around the men I knew Alec and Laurent would not hurt me. Whatever was going on was bad, very bad, so I kept reminding myself that they wouldn't hurt me, hoping to stay calm as they nervously walked us through the building. Every now and then we'd stop and have to hide off to the side until Laurent would tell us it was all clear.

As we approached a final hallway where a large door, that I assumed led outside, was at the end, my heart skyrocketed through my chest as gunshots began to echo through the empty halls. I grew up a cops daughter so I knew what a gunshot sounded like and there were a lot of guns being fired.

"Fuck!" Laurent yelled and began to jog ahead of us to the door.

Alec grabbed something behind his back and handed it to me. I grasped the cold steel and looked at him wide eyed.

"Do you know how to use one of these?" Alec asked quickly.

The look on his face scared me even more so I nodded, because I was unable to speak.

He gave me a small smile and quickened our pace as he started to explain.

"Aro's brother Giovanni knows what Marcus did in the states, and they want his blood. Caius told him about you and if they can't kill Marcus they planned on using you to get to him. Everyone knows the family would never hurt a woman, to Giovanni you're only leverage. Personally... I think it was Caius' way of taking you for himself. You aren't safe, Miss Bella."

Tears sprang to my eyes, but I refused to let them fall, as he led me to the door.

"You're helping me." I whispered, more to myself than him.

"There's a car at the other end of the driveway, keys are in the ignition. You need to drive as fast as you can until you are outside of Tuscany, understand?"

I quickly nodded, silently absorbing everything he was saying.

"Don't stop until you see the little red house, it'll be on your right, you can't miss it. It's the only house for miles and it's surrounded with a beat up white fence, When you reach the house make sure no one is following you before you exit the car?"

I was going to ask him what I do when I get to the house but never got the chance.

Bullets began to fly around us and I was shoved off to the side as Laurent began to return fire.

"Bella!" I heard James yell, but I refused to look up. Bullets were smashing into the walls all around, causing bits of plaster and wood to fly through the air. All the while James continued to yell for me. Out of nowhere I heard a man with a thick Italian accent yell for James.

"Marcus, you will pay for what you did to my brother." When the bullets stopped I chanced a look around and saw James and Felix taking cover behind one of the carts that were in the hallway. On the other side peeking around a corner until they were convinced it was safe, I saw three men, followed by Caius and Marcello step out.

"Marcus, you fucking coward," Was the last thing I heard the man say before his men grabbed James and began beating him and Felix. I couldn't tell who was truly winning the fight, but I saw enough to know James was not giving up. For every punch they gave him he gave one right back. I continued to watch as two men finally managed to get James' arms behind his back, while a third delivered punch after punch to his face and gut. After everything that man had done to me, you would think it'd be easy for me to see him finally get his, but truth be told, I hated violence, even if the monster on the receiving end may have deserved it.

I was about two punches away from begging them to stop, when Caius looked over and noticed me.

"There she is," his evil smirk, sent chills up my spine. As soon as he took a step in our direction, Alec grabbed a hold of me and quickly pushed me out the door.

"Run, Bella!" Alec yelled. "You have to run!"

I hoped in the few seconds I looked at him, he could see my gratitude but I didn't wait around to make sure. I did what he said. I ran as fast as I could, gun in hand and I didn't stop until I was buckled and speeding through town. In the rearview mirror I could see guns going off all around the hotel but I never saw any vehicle follow me.

I didn't slow down.

I thought for a second that maybe I should find the police and let them know what was going on but I had no clue where to find one, or if this town even had police.

The whole time I was with James at the manor I never heard or even seen a single police car. And as many guns that were shooting up that hotel it's hard to believe police would ignore it. Maybe they were bought off, but I wouldn't take the chance. I listened to the instructions that Alec gave me.

I drove for miles, slowly losing hope, seeing nothing but grassy hills thinking that maybe I went the wrong way, until in the far distance off to the right I could vaguely make out what looked like a red house sitting on a hillside. My foot got heavier as the house got closer. I looked in the rear view mirror relieved no one was following me even though I had no idea what to do when I got to the house; I just knew I had to get there.

As the car approached the top of the hill, my heart fell into my stomach. All the air left my body and I slammed on the brakes.

There in the middle of the road, waiting for me, blocking my way, were two big black SUV's. The vehicles had formed a 'V' in the middle of the street, making it impossible to speed around them. Three men with guns stood in front of both of them looking intently at me.

_It was a trap? Why would they do this to me? Were they working against James the entire time?_

Panic began to set in as I saw the doors to the vehicles open. I had been so close to escaping this whole mess, I was crushed to have it end like this. Not knowing what else to do, I threw the car in reverse and was getting ready to race out of there. I would drive as long and as far as I could trying to get away from them. I wasn't ready to give up and my adrenaline began pumping through my body preparing myself for a high speed chase until something outside of the SUV caught my eye.

I thought I might have been imagining it, that maybe the wind was throwing something around in the air. But it was real and it was beautiful, I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face.

_I'd know that color anywhere._

It might as well been a halo around his head, the huge cluster of reddish brown... almost a penny color stood in a chaotic mess on top of a man's body.

I threw the car in park and rushed out as fast I could only stopping when two strong arms lifted me off the ground, squeezing me tighter than ever before.

"Edward!" I cried as I held on for dear life. "You're here! You're really here!"

"I've got you, Bella," he whispered through our kisses. "I've got you."

I don't know when we started moving or who the other men were, all that mattered to me was I was back in the arms of the man I loved. I wouldn't let go of him, too afraid that if I did it would turn out to be an illusion. I'd wake back up in that hotel room completely heartbroken.

"We're taking you home, baby."

I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. My mind was occupied on other things. Like how great his lips felt against mine. How soft his hair was as my fingers brushed through it, or how wonderful his arms felt wrapped around me. My lips touched every surface of his face, quickly reacquainting themselves with his cheeks and lips, and eyelids.

After I was convinced he really was in front of me, I pulled back to look in his eyes.

His beautiful jade green eyes glistened with the remains of his tears as he lovingly stared back at me.

"I love you."

"I love you."

We continued to gaze at each other until I heard the faintest sound of someone crying. I looked over exhausted with emotions and immediately jumped off of Edwards lap, into the welcoming arms of my brother.

It felt as if my entire blood supply was being cut off from his grip but I welcomed the pain. It was more of an indication that I was here... that it was real. His grip never once let up and for that I was thankful for. I needed him to be this close to me, just as much as he did. As difficult as I knew this was for Edward, Emmett and me had been around each other our entire lives. He was my best friend; he had been taking care of me since I was a baby. We had never spent any huge amount of time away from each other. Then to just have us ripped away from one another was complete agony. I needed my brother right now, and he needed me too. Edward and I would have more time to fully reunite but right now I was where I needed to be.

My brother held onto me for the rest of the car ride, each one of us crying and thanking God that I was back with them. Even when the car stopped he wouldn't let go, he carried me on to the plane only setting me down so I could buckle up, and then made sure to grab my hand holding it just as tightly as before. Edward sat on the other side of me doing the same with my left hand, every once in awhile bringing it to his lips.

I wasn't sure how long we were in the air until Emmett turned to me.

"Go ahead and sleep, Bella."

I stubbornly shook my head, earning a laugh from both men.

"We're not going anywhere. We will both be here when you wake up, I promise, sis."

"You promise, Em? You'll sit here the whole time?" I pleaded.

"I promise."

I nodded slowly and leaned my head against Edward as my eyes closed, immediately falling asleep.

True to their words when I woke up, not only were they both still next to me holding my hands but we were landing in New York. Emmett said we needed to refuel before we could fly back to Washington.

As we exited the plane Phil introduced me to the rest of the men. Each one of them had known my father at some point in their careers and were more than glad they were able to help us. I wasn't sure how I had not seen him on the plane but I was glad I had finally noticed him.

"Jasper..." I called out and he quickly pulled me in for a hug.

"Glad to have you back, darlin'." I laughed at his southern boy charm. "We missed you."

"I missed you too." I told him honestly.

"There's someone else that'd like to say hi," Jasper said and when I looked at him questionably, he stepped to the side.

"Carlisle!" I squealed, quickly jumping into his arms. My tears flowing just as fast as his own.

"I'm so glad you're alright, Bella... I'm just so glad you're alright." We stood holding each other until Phil told us it was time to go.

Carlisle reluctantly pulled away, giving me the once over like a father would and then walked to the plane with me tucked under his arm.

When we were in the air Phil tried to explain to me how they had actually worked with Giovanni in order to get back at James but I stopped him.

"I appreciate everything you have done for me... believe me. I do want to know all the details behind everything but not tonight... I just – its really overwhelming and right now I want to focus on finally being with my family, okay."

"I understand, Bella." He smiled softly letting me know he wasn't offended. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to hear it right now or not."

"Thank you, but maybe in a few days. I want some time to wrap my mind around the stuff that I do know."

"Whenever you're ready, Bella." He smiled once more before heading to the front of the plane.

"Did anyone call home and let the girls know?" I asked.

The men looked at each other before looking at me.

"What?"

"We don't want to chance word getting out about your rescue, until we can call a press conference." Carlisle said gently.

"Press release... why do we need a press release?" I was at a loss. I must have missed more than I thought.

"The press has been really bad since all this happened, sis. They follow us everywhere. After you were taken I had canceled all meetings with the Seahawks, and when they came to campus to speak with all the players who were drafted... well they were able to dig around enough to find out why I wasn't there."

"Oh my gosh, Em... I'm so so –." I had no time to express my sorrow because he was in my face stopping me.

"I don't give two shits about the draft... do you hear me. You are my sister and I would give up ten-thousand draft offers if I had to. Do not feel one ounce of remorse for this mess. None of it is your fault. Okay?"

I nodded quickly and threw my arms around his neck.

He could deny it all he wanted but I know a part of him wanted to play in the NFL. This was supposed to be his year to make a name for himself. He had several offers from teams but it wasn't until the Seahawks talked to him, that he got excited.

"I said stop, sis and I mean it. I know your overanalyzing it in that stubborn ass head of yours. Now quit."

I couldn't help but laugh though my tears because he was right. He knew me to well.

"I told you before me and Rosie wanted to start a garage together. Besides, I'm not ready to part with my M&M yet and I would have to if I started playing."

The mention of her made me sit up straight.

"Oh my gosh... how is she? Has she been worried about me... has she been okay... I've missed her so much, Em."

Edward rubbed soothing circles on my back and gently kissed my temple.

"She's fine, love. She's been surrounded by family and has been waiting for you to get back from vacation. She'll be thrilled to see you."

The pilot announced we would be landing in ten minutes and the guys began to talk about how to sneak me home without being spotted by reporters.

I didn't ask questions I only did what they told me to.

They breathed a sigh of relief when we pulled up to Carlisle and Esmes without a reporter insight. I guess there had even been a few that camped in front of the yard, which bugged the hell out of everyone.

"Mom!" I heard someone scream as a blur came charging out of the house, I wasn't able to make it four steps from the car before I was tackled to the ground. Who knew the little pixie had so much strength.

"You're okay! You're okay! I knew they'd bring you back... I knew it."

"I missed you, Al."

"Bella!" I heard Rosalie scream before I felt another person join us on the ground. "You sneaky little shit!"

The three of us sat on our knees on the ground, still holding each other and crying like babies. They were my sisters in every sense of the word and we were finally back together. It wasn't until I felt a familiar hand on my face did I let go of Rose and Alice, only to grab a hold of Esme.

"I knew my boys would bring you home," she whispered though her tears. I couldn't form any words to express how much I had missed her, so I clinged to her tightly and sobbed in her arms.

She rocked me back and forth as she held me until my tears finally stopped. Pulling back to look at my face she gave me her motherly smile and kissed my forehead.

"There's a little girl on the couch who would like to see you."

Carefully we all stood up and walked through the yard holding on to each other until we made it inside and I saw my daughter sleeping soundly on the couch.

Any other time I would have let her sleep but not that night... I had been away from her for too long, I couldn't wait until she woke up on her own.

I sat next to her on the couch and carefully lifted her onto my lap. Taking my hands I rested her head against my chest and began combing my fingers through her soft curls.

"Em-ma," I began to sing to her. "Em-ma, wakey wakey."

I saw her eyelashes begin to flutter and butterflies in my stomach started dancing with anticipation as I waited for her eyes to find mine. The moment those big brown eyes locked with mine her face lit up with the biggest grin, instantly causing tears of joy to fall down my cheeks.

"Mama," she said softly and threw her arms around my neck.

I squeezed her in return and buried my face in her hair, breathing in her beautiful scent.

"No cry, mama." She pulled back and wiped at my eyes.

_Did I mention how much I loved her?_

"It's okay, baby, Mama's just happy to see you. I missed you so much."

"Me too, mama!" she squealed.

"You missed me too?" I asked, teasing her.

"Uh huh!" her soft curls bounced around as she nodded.

"Well, I'm home now, baby, I'm home." She smiled and snuggled back into my chest, unconsciously playing with a strand of my hair, as we rocked side to side.

I wasn't sure who was in the room with us or who exactly sat next to me, all that mattered to me at that moment was holding onto my beautiful girl. I knew I needed to discuss what had happened to me the weeks I was gone, I also needed to be filled in on the things that I had missed here, including my rescue but all that was going to wait. I had my daughter in my arms, my family surrounding me but I was home.

I was home.

* * *

A/N: Please review!

I would love to hear from you guys what you want to see in the upcoming chapters.

I need your feedback. i don't want to disappoint you, and i feel after all this time  
you definitely deserve as say.

My beta has to take a break for summer so if any of you are interested in helping me out IM please.

Thanks for reading.


	30. Author's Note

**A/N: so sorry for teasing you all with this update... **

**I had to take down chapter 30 in order to get it properly beta'd... **

**I will repost as soon as they send it back to me. **

**Thank you to all of my readers and sorry again for the tease.**

**I hate A/N teases...**


	31. Chapter 30

******Disclaimer**: All things Twilight belong to S Meyer 

_**Reposted chapter 30, completely beta'd lol... working on the epilogue now.**_

A/N: Okay everybody... This is the last chapter before the epilogue.):

I want to thank everyone of you who have given my story a chance. I have loved every one of your reviews and PM's...

Thanks so much for sticking with me through out my story. Life got crazy and it took a LONG time to update so I felt it was time to wrap this up.

I'm not robbing you of anything though, this is exactly how I had planned the story ending... it's even in my outline...a lot of stuff goes down this chapter, including a LEMON, because I have been slacking so much, and I would love to know what you think so please take a second after reading and review.

Thanks again and I hope you love this chapter as much as i did.

* * *

**BPOV  
3 months later**

"Oomf," I breathed as I plopped my body down on the couch. "When is this going to end? I am about sick of interviews already."

I quickly snuggled against Edward as he sat down next to me.

"I know, love." His arms pulled me closer to him. "It should all be over soon. The story is slowly dying down."

"Argh," I whined into his chest like a spoiled child who didn't get her way, "I want it over now."

I felt his soft chuckle as he leaned down to place a kiss in my hair.

We had been non-stop with interviews and press releases since word came out of my return. Everyone in the local FBI headquarters wanted a play-by-play from all involved, from the time that I was abducted, the full three weeks I was in Italy, and everything that led up to my return.

Phil, his men, my brother, Edward, and I were stuck in a room for hours, sitting around a table while we retold the story. I held onto Edward the entire time, listening for the first time as they spoke about how they worked with James's men to get me home.

Apparently, the cell phone I had stolen to call home happened to be Laurent's. When James gave it back to him, after punching him a few times for being too stupid to have it stolen, he had not deleted the number. Laurent had been tired of James for awhile now, sick of his cocky can't-touch-me attitude. He had just been biding his time until he could knock James off his pedestal. Laurent had decided too that he finally had his perfect opportunity and called my family back.

After he was able to convince the guys that he wanted to help me, he worked with Phil and his men to get me away from James.

But he wasn't the only one who was sick of James.

While Laurent was working with my family, Alec had called Aro's brother Giovanni and worked out a deal with him to allow my family to get me without being harmed. Alec was to inform Phil that under no circumstances was anyone allowed to kill James. Giovanni wanted his revenge for James killing his brother, and he wanted to deliver it himself.

It wasn't as hard as you would think, considering all the enemies James had acquired in his own men. Marcello and Caius had been leaking information back to Giovanni ever since Aro was killed. His men were going to seek revenge one way or another, even if they had to use me to get to him. Giovanni really wanted to take me away from James in order to get James to do whatever Giovanni asked, but Alec was able to convince him that they could still get James cornered for Giovanni without using me to do it.

So Giovanni had agreed to let my family come get me as long as no one was around to interfere with whatever they had planned for James, basically my life for James's. Even though everyone in my family wanted to kill him, they wanted me home safe more. Giovanni did promise that if James was able to get away, Giovanni would come back to his original plan ... which was to use me as bait.

Everyone worked together in order for everyone to get what they wanted. Giovanni was able to get James, and I was able to escape unharmed.

After reuniting with my family on that empty road, we all drove away and never looked back. Phil had been trying to find out what exactly Giovanni did to James but hadn't gotten any answers. It wasn't surprising. James double-crossed a highly powerful family. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they did to him.

My family was not exaggerating about the press; they were lined up everywhere we went without letting up. The day after I had gotten back, we sat in the FBI headquarters filling them in on every detail of the ordeal for over eleven hours and not once did the press leave. In fact, there was triple the amount upon my exiting the building as opposed to entering it.

Every newspaper in Washington and other major magazines had already gotten their story from a few weeks after I talked with the FBI, yet it still seemed as if it was never enough. The local news had requested a follow up interview, which we just came back from. . . . Apparently, we're still a hot commodity, which was bullshit; they were just using our horrible experience to sell their shit.

Us Weekly, OK, and People actually paid us to do interviews; we didn't really need the money, but it was easier to agree to talk with them and let them snap their pictures as opposed to being followed around and having them take what little info they could get and twist it into something juicy.

Sports Spectrum was the most persistent, though . . . considering how popular my brother was to the sports world. They were also the most compassionate. They told the story like it happened, no twists or juicy suspense ending. They kept the four page spread as real as could be told from an outside point of view. They had sent two of their top writers and a photographer to come and stay with us for a week. They observed us as a family and slowly learned of our story, starting with the death of my parents and ending with a family trying to move on from a nightmare.

They asked questions when they wanted clarification but did so in a way to make them seem as an old friend being curious and not some reporter getting gossip. They wrote the truth, but not once in the article did they comment on how Emmett Swan walked away from Pro-Football to protect his little sister, even though that's exactly what happened. They may not have used those words, but they wrote the story in a way that anyone who read it would understand how much we loved each other and how much we would sacrifice to keep each other safe. I wanted everyone to know that my brother had been my hero my entire life. How he raised me after our parents died, how he took care of me when I was pregnant, how he risked his own life to come overseas to bring me back home. And how, no matter how much money they offered him, Emmett turned down a career in the NFL . . . for me.

Emmett will deny it until he's blue in the face, but his decision to turn down _all_ offers was so he could watch out for both Emma and me. Like I said, you won't find those words anywhere in the article, but if you read between the lines, it was there.

I caused my brother's career to end before it could even begin, and that's something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. But like Emmett told me one night when I was beating myself up . . . football wasn't what he saw for his future.

It had been about a week after the article had come out, and I was having one of my . . . not so good days.

_I had just read the article again, and even though I loved every word printed in it, I couldn't help the amount of remorse that filled me when thinking about what my brother had to give up._

_I gently shifted the edge of the framed copy I had Edward hang in the living room when my brother walked up behind me. _

_"Stop it, sis," he told me lightly. _

_"I can't help it, Em," I said through my tears._

_I felt his hand rest on my shoulder and quickly placed mine on top of his. _

_"I don't blame you, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I would do it a thousand times over just to get you back."_

_"I know you wanted to play ball, Em. Don't try to make me feel better," I sighed. _

_"Bells, you have to listen to me and listen good." He wasn't angry, but his words were firm, and he slowly turned me so we were facing each other. "Did I want to go pro? Sure. . . . Who doesn't think about that? Was I good at football? Of course . . . but I've told you several times, and this time you need to get it through that thick ass skull of yours."_

_I couldn't help but laugh at his statement and quickly wiped the tears from my face. _

_"Ever since Emma came into our lives, things changed for me. I see a different future for me, which doesn't include playing football."_

_He held my gaze, making sure what he was saying was sinking in . . . and it was. The future I had envisioned for him and the one he saw were different. _

_"I don't want to travel my whole life; I don't want to miss one second of seeing my M&M growing up. . . . Rosie and I are going to open up our shop and have lots of nieces and nephews for you, and not once will I look back and wish I had played pro. . . . Understand?"_

_I nodded in agreement and hugged him tight. _

_"I know, Em . . ."_

_"So then stop, Bells. . . . No more regret or this whole pity thing. . . . It doesn't look good on you."_

_I laughed out loud this time and pushed him away teasingly. _

_"I love you, brother, and if you're not going to miss football . . . then neither am I, even though I still think it would have been awesome to have a brother in the NFL."_

_He laughed with me for a few seconds before grabbing my hand and walking us out of the living room and into the backyard where the rest of the family was. _

_ We stood there side-by-side, holding hands, just watching. _

_ "If there was ever a choice between saving my life . . ." he paused briefly then shook his head before he continued. "If there was ever a choice between just me and something you were good at, Bella—which would you choose?" _

_How could he even ask that? _

_I turned to glare at him, instantly pissed. _

_"That's the most stupid—" _

_"Exactly." _

_And with that, my pity party days were over. The look on his face and the way he held my hand was enough to finally get through to me. My brother was perfectly happy without the NFL. _

Edward's tugging on my hand snapped me out of my musings.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" he asked softly.

I leaned closer to him. "Nothing, everything . . . just thoughts, babe."

I felt him nod against me. "What time do Rose and Emmett get in?"

I smiled and sat up quickly, looking at the clock. "We have to pick them up in about two hours."

Emmett and Rosalie were flying back from their Hawaiian honeymoon and would be at the airport soon. My brother had finally gotten married to the love of his life, and I finally got my sister. It was a small ceremony, much like mine had been, but it was perfect for them, and Rose had looked like a vision in her dress.

After everything that had happened to our family, I felt like it was the perfect time for a wedding. We needed something to celebrate, something that could knock everyone out of the funk we had been stuck in surrounding my kidnapping. What better way to do that than attending my brother's wedding?

It took us girls about a month to plan out their perfectly small wedding, but we pulled it off. Two weeks ago before God and our family, my brother stood across from me at the front of the church wearing the biggest smile, while we watched Emma scatter rose petals on the floor and an equally happy Rosalie being escorted by her father down the aisle.

It was beautiful.

Just like them.

The reception . . . well, that was a different story. Let's just say, keg stands were involved, cake was thrown, clothes were ripped, and the smile that they both wore the next morning as they boarded the plane let us all know they wouldn't have changed a thing.

Best reception . . . hands down.

"Should we head over to help the others set up for the party?" Edward asked through a yawn.

I giggled softly and shook my head. "I called after we left the news station, and your mom said they were finished. She told me that all we needed to do was bring back the newlyweds."

We had decided to throw Emmett and Rosalie a welcome home party. We also wanted to surprise them with the fact that they would finally have a house to themselves. While they were gone, I had fully moved out and into the house that Edward had bought for us, which was, coincidentally, less than one block from my brother's. Not only so they could be alone, because never once had my brother ever pushed me to move out, but it was time for me to live with my husband. Emma, of course, would still have her room there.

"And Emma's still with Grandpa getting the cake, right?" Edward asked with a hint of playfulness. I turned from where I had been standing to see the mischievous look in my husband's eyes.

"Yes, she is," I told him and couldn't help how my body reacted to the look in his eyes. He wanted to play, and who was I to ever say no? I licked my lips and leisurely took a few steps back, little by little, loving the way he was getting worked up.

I watched him as he slowly got off the couch and began walking toward me as he, very sexily, started to unbutton his shirt. That man was too sexy for his own good; every time he looked at me with that little gleam in his eyes, my panties would automatically be soaked with arousal.

"So, we have the house to ourselves for the next . . ." his eyes playfully shifted to the clock on the wall ". . . hour and fifty-two minutes."

I bit my lip and shook my head, playing along as my breathing began to pick up. "It'll take us thirty minutes to drive to the airport. So that leaves us with an hour and twenty-two minutes."

His eyes glossed over as he watched me continue to walk backwards and remove my shirt, flinging it across the room, not caring where it landed.

"Well, we don't have much time to waste, now do we?" he breathed heavily as he threw his shirt somewhere and began to unbuckle his belt, still walking toward me.

My eyes grew big, and I licked my lips as my back hit the wall, knowing I had nowhere else to go but loving what was about to transpire.

I watched him kick off his shoes and let his pants slowly fall down his legs before he quickly stepped out of them and then hurriedly pressed his body against mine.

As much as I loved working him up and playing with him, my hunger for his body inside mine won out, and I forcefully grabbed handfuls of his hair and brought his lips to mine.

His eagerness matched mine, while our tongues began to fight for dominance. His expert fingers removed my bra, while I managed to slide his boxers off his hips. Teeth and tongues and lips were everywhere we could attach them until he hit that spot that had me throwing my head back. He knows how to work my body with his mouth, that lush mouth that worked its way down my torso, across my breasts, down my stomach. His hands moved from my hips to my thighs as his head descended further down my body.

Too impatient to remove my skirt, he bunched it up around my waist and ripped my panties from my body as he buried his face between my legs, expertly making me gasp for breath and claw savagely at his shoulders. I put my hands on his head, crushing his mouth to me more tightly, silently begging him to give me what I wanted, what I needed. His licking turned to sucking, and my fingers curled in his hair.

I moaned his name, grabbing his hair and pressing his face closer. His responding murmur was lost within me, and I slouched further down on the wall as his tongue burrowed into me, thrusting leisurely. Tomorrow, my thighs would bear tell-tale bruises, I'm sure, but I didn't care. His fingers were digging into my tender flesh, and I loved it. His nose bumped against me, the electric jolts making my hips rise off the wall.

His tongue slipped out of me, and my cry of protest turned into another throaty moan as it reasserted itself between my folds. I swear that I could feel every taste bud on his tongue, that wonderful tongue.

A long finger entered me, pressing against my walls. I could feel my body beginning to coil, like a five-foot-two-inch spring, and I looked down at his dark head through shuttered eyes. Finally, finally, finally his tongue stroked my clit, and as I cried out again, a second finger slid into me.

"Fuck, Edward . . ." I hissed, arching off the wall in pleasure. The spring was winding tighter and tighter, and I heard a roaring in my head. When his lips clamped around the nub and tugged, I inhaled sharply and held my breath as my body convulsed with the force of my orgasm. It didn't take long for my body to succumb to the bliss that only Edward could bring to me.

I screamed, bucking and spasming around his thrusting fingers.

Somewhere in my screaming out his name, his lips made the path back up to my face, instantly attaching his lips to mine. My tongue was a greedy bitch and lapped furiously at the taste of myself on his mouth. I was too busy tasting myself to notice the growl coming from him until I felt his hands on the back of my thighs.

My body wanted more and apparently so did his.

I draped both my arms around his neck, while holding his mouth to mine as he easily lifted my body off the ground, forcing my legs to wrap around his waist. They tightened around him like a vice as I felt the head of his cock tease my entrance right before he slammed into me fully, knocking my body against the wall.

I threw my head back and moaned as his grip on me tightened.

"Fuck," I heard him growl out before he began to move in and out of me.

His moaning grew louder, and I opened my eyes to watch him. I always loved watching him when we were together. The look on his face was the perfect combination of ecstasy and love.

His body was moving feverishly inside of mine as he alternately kissed me and murmured my name. The pleasure was too much, and I squeezed my arms tighter around his neck while attacking his mouth again as my body began to orgasm.

Again.

I heard my name fall from his lips as his hands gripped my hips painfully before he thrust up one last time as his body quickly followed mine over the edge.

Making love with Edward never got old. The fact that we knew each other's bodies inside and out only enhanced each time we were together. I loved that I was the only one who knew how to get him so worked up he would be on the verge of exploding. But I loved even more the fact he could play my body as expertly as he did his piano.

"I love you," I murmured when I regained control of my senses, loving the way the room was filled with the smell of our love making and heavy breathing.

"I fucking love you, too, Bella," he hummed, causing me to giggle softly at his choice of words.

I don't know where he found the strength, but after a few more minutes of standing there against the wall, still connected, Edward carried us up the stairs and into the bathroom.

We showered together, resisting the urge for round two, before we dressed and headed to the airport to pick up the newlyweds.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted as Emmett and Rosalie followed us inside their house.

"Thanks, guys," Rosalie said before she began hugging everyone.

"M&M!" My daughter squealed as she left her Papa's arms and dropped the 'Welcome Home' sign she had been holding, so she could launch herself into my brother's eagerly waiting arms.

"There she is," he said excitedly as he lifted her off the ground and began to swing her in circles. "I missed my favorite Emma."

She laughed and continued to squeeze her chubby arms around his neck as they fell back into their own little world. Even as Emmett made his rounds in hugging everyone, she refused to let him put her down. She had missed him a lot and apparently needed him to make up for lost time. Rosalie only laughed at my daughter when she leaned in for a hug from her and Emma barely leaned away from Emmett to wrap one arm around Rosalie's in order to give her a quick squeeze. It was pretty much how the rest of the night went; Emma and Emmett were attached at the hip, almost literally.

It was a great night, and we were all happy to have the family together again. We all ate until we about burst, yet still found more room for desert. We stayed awake, playing silly games and listening to music. We even gathered around the computer to look at the more child-appropriate pictures from Hawaii, completely ignoring the XXX folder that was right next to it.

It was a great night, and as soon as Emma fell asleep in my brother's arms, of course, we started talking about what we should do for her birthday that was coming up.

"She'll be two, Emmett. I seriously doubt she needs to have a circus in her backyard." I rolled my eyes for what seemed the hundredth time. He was hell bent on renting a circus for her, and I was completely against it. She didn't need all that; he disagreed.

"She needs clowns and balloons and a pony ride, we could get a Jump-For-Fun, order pizza, have a water fight," he continued to prattle on while everyone laughed at his enthusiasm.

I shook my head.

"Emmett, for one, it's the end of October. Her birthday is in November; it's too cold to have a water fight. And for two, I'm pretty sure those are all things you want at your party, so let's plan it for then."

I laughed as he threw a couch pillow at me.

"Whatever," he grumbled playfully.

"You know she'll love anything we do for her," Edward said and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"I know!" Alice said excitedly. "Let's throw her a princess party."

"Huh?" Pretty much everyone in the room asked.

"A princess party," Alice repeated with a look that clearly read—duh. "You know, we all dress up as Disney princesses. Rose can be Sleeping Beauty, Bella can be Belle, I'll be Snow White, Mom can be a very young and beautiful fairy godmother, and Emma can be Princess Jasmine or Little Mermaid . . . or actually Tinkerbell. She loves Tinkerbell, or she might want us all to be Fairy princesses . . ." she paused momentarily then continued as if nothing happened. "Not sure—we'll have to ask her. We'll decorate the whole house as a castle with balloons, streamers, and huge banner that reads, 'Happy Birthday Princess Emma'. We could even have a huge castle cake. Oh my gosh, this will be so much fun to decorate." Her hands clapped, and she began to bounce in her seat, obviously excited about her idea.

Her rant seemed to have left us all needing to catch our breaths, but it wasn't a bad idea.

"I love it," Esme beamed after a minute of silence.

"I do, too."

"Me, too."

It was a perfect idea for her. Emma is already the little princess of the family. Why not have a little costume party birthday? Especially since we were all skipping Halloween this year. We weren't sure what happened to James, but no one wanted to think about who could be lurking behind a mask all night long, so we made a group decision to pass this year.

"Okay, but there is no way I am wearing tights or a tunic," Emmett stated, followed by all the guys agreeing with him.

We laughed at the men and shook our heads.

"Duh," Alice stated and slapped her hands on her thighs. "Besides, there's not enough time to order proper costumes for you guys anyways. Just wear your tuxedos, and I'll find some kind of crown for all of you to wear."

"I think this is going to be wonderful." Esme clapped with Alice. "We'll need to look into some games that would be great for her to play, and maybe you, Emmett, could look into renting a castle Jump-For-Fun."

"Hell yeah!" He grinned big and pretty and looked right at me. "We could always put it inside one of those big ass event tents we have in storage, and if it gets too cold, we can put a portable heater out there, too. It'll be great."

"She's going to love it." Carlisle smiled as he looked at his sleeping granddaughter.

"Okay, so it's settled. Tomorrow, we'll ask her if she wants to be a Disney princess or a Fairy princess, and we can start getting everything together. Alice, you'll do the costumes. Rosalie, you can find the cake. Esme and I can do the games and decorations, and the guys can figure out the tent and Jump-For-Fun."

"Sounds good."

Everyone helped clean up the party mess and ended up finally leaving Emmett and Rosalie's after midnight. They offered . . . well more like Emmett insisted on keeping Emma since she was already asleep, and he didn't see the need in waking her up by loading her in and out of the car. . . . _Uh huh, sure._

I didn't put up a fight, because I knew how much they missed each other.

Besides, it allowed my husband and I to go for round two . . . and three . . . and maybe four and five without worrying about tiny ears in the house.

"So what do you think we should get her?" Edward asked as we strolled through the busy mall. Emma's birthday just happened to be around Holiday shopping time, and so every store we went to was packed full. Not only were we fighting through a holiday crowd, but we had to decide which presents to give her for her birthday and which ones to save for Christmas.

My little girl was going to be spoiled for life.

"Well, I don't think she really _needs _anything, so I guess we just get her whatever we think she'll like."

"Good point." He smiled and pulled me closer against him, wrapping his arm around my waist instead of holding my hand. "Let's run to Hallmark then."

I smiled and quickly nodded my head and let him lead the way.

For her first birthday, Edward had bought Emma a small porcelain doll that was holding a number '1', which was the start of her collection. He wanted to make sure by the time she graduated that she had all eighteen. I loved it.

I found a few books for her as well and decided to save those for Christmas. I wanted to stick to a princess theme with her presents for her party.

"Hey, Edward," I called to him from the next row. "We should find her a princess sleeping bag or something. You know, stick to her party theme."

He joined me with his own arms carrying stuff to buy her and grinned big. "Like this?"

He held up a light pink crown that you would hang up for decoration and showed me a package of wall stickers, all princess.

"We could stencil her name on this and put it above her bed. Then she could arrange the stickers however she wanted around her room."

My smile felt endless as I gazed at him and his armful of gifts.

"I love you. . . . It's perfect."

His answering smile almost made me melt right there in the middle of the store; he was beautiful.

We continued to look around the store, and I was able to find a princess castle photo frame for a child's first year. I quickly snatched it up, seeing that it was the last one and began to mentally sort through all the pictures I knew I had taken that would be perfect in each of the thirteen slots, twelve small, which were from birth to eleven months, and then a slightly bigger slot for her one year photo. Even though this was her second birthday, I felt it would be a great present for her.

Edward agreed.

We decided to have her party at Esme's, since the Jump-For-Fun fit better in their backyard and ended up taking all the presents back there to wrap with her and Carlisle. Emma was still with Alice, getting her pretty princess manicure and pedicure . . . compliments of her Aunty Ali and Uncle Jazz, so we knew the coast was clear to start all the wrapping.

Emmett and Rosalie joined us shortly after we got there, and we all started to tackle the huge pile of presents spread out across the living room.

"Good Lord," I stammered after seeing the finished pile of gifts. "What are we going to do at Christmas time?"

It was meant as a joke, but I could hear a few groans in agreement.

"I think you're right," Carlisle stated. He, too, was standing and looking at the mountain of pink princess wrapped gifts. "Maybe we should reel it back a little."

We all slowly nodded and found a place to sit that wasn't covered in presents.

"Look . . ." Emmett was the first to begin ". . . I love that little munchkin, and no one loves present time more than me, but at this rate, she'll never even get a chance to play with half the stuff we buy her."

"I agree," Esme chimed. "So should we all set a limit on how many we buy her and each other?"

"I think that would be best. I mean, I know we will all have our own trees at our houses, but we know we're going to end up in the same place on Christmas Day, so why not start there, where to be on Christmas Day?"

"Well, normally I would say our house, but I think maybe we should let the newlyweds host Christmas Day," Carlisle suggested. "We don't mind at all, but I feel we are taking away everyone else's chance at hosting something."

"I'm down. . . . My Rosie loves Christmas, so I think it's perfect." He leaned over and kissed his wife's smiling face. "What do you say, babe?"

"Really?" She squealed in excitement. "Alice is going to be so jealous."

"She'll be fine. We'll let them host Thanksgiving," Esme added with a smile.

"Perfect."

"Okay, so that's settled." Carlisle clapped his hands once and leaned over to grab a paper off the end table. "Now, on to the presents. Secret Santas are what the hospitals have always done. It eliminates people getting left out and keeps people from ending up broke."

We were all silently thinking about the idea of a Secret Santa before Esme broke the silence.

"I think for a hospital or any other type of employment that the idea is great . . ." she paused and looked at Carlisle ". . . but for family I don't like that idea."

"I don't either."

"Me either," we all said at the same time.

Carlisle laughed and held up his hands. "It was just one of my suggestions."

He shook his head playfully and looked back down at his paper. "We can cross that idea off the list. How about setting a limit on how many presents we each buy for each other?"

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked.

"Well, we all want to buy presents for the family, but instead of each of us buying separately for everyone, why don't we do it as couples? Each couple buys one present for each couple."

He looked around the room and was met with nothing but silent nodding before Emmett spoke up.

"Now that I can work with." He smiled playfully. "The present that the couples buy for the couples can be under our tree and opened on Christmas Day with the family, and then we'll save Christmas Eve Day for our personal presents. That way the trees that are in your houses have something under them."

"That's a great idea." I smiled at my brother.

"Those are the only ones I have, Belly Bear."

"Shut up." I laughed and chucked a pillow at him.

"All right . . ." Edward started ". . . so our presents for our spouses stay at our own houses and get opened Christmas Eve Day, since we will all be spending Christmas Eve Night at Emmett's."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What are we going to do about Emma's then . . . because that . . ." he teasingly pointed to her mountain of presents ". . . can't happen every year."

"No doubt," Emmett groaned.

"So we'll set a limit on how many everyone buys." I sat up and looked at everyone.

"Five each couple!" Emmett shouted.

"Are you nuts?" I looked at him as if he had three heads. "That'd be fifteen total from you guys, including Alice and Jasper, plus another five from us. She does not need twenty presents. Maybe we stick to the couple rule, and each get her one."

"She's my only niece. Five."

"One."

"Four."

Emmett and I were having a stare down; no one else seemed to want to get into this particular discussion. There was no way I was going to let her receive so many presents. She didn't need that many. My daughter was far from a brat, even though she had been spoiled since day one, but I want her to appreciate what she's given; she can't do that if she's overwhelmed with gifts.

We were at a standstill. There was no way I was going to budge, and from the way his eyes began to squint at me, it didn't look like he was planning on backing down either.

Not sure how long we continued to glare at each other, until Rosalie put her hand gently on Emmett's.

"Babe, she's her mother. We have to respect what she says."

That made me stop.

It wasn't what she said . . . because what she stated was the truth. I am her mother, and they should respect what I say. No, it was how she said it. With the sad puppy-dog look on her face and the somber tone in her voice as if she had just been defeated.

My mouth dropped open in shock, because I could not believe Rosalie flippin' Swan would actually try to guilt-trip me.

I heard a snort off to my left and looked to see Carlisle's poor attempt at hiding his laughter and quickly returned my glare back to my brother and evil sister-in-law.

I guess one present was going a little extreme, but I really didn't want to back down, not after being tag-teamed. My pride was seeing this through, so I held my glare.

"Four," my brother growled out.

"One." I smirked and decided to play dirty. Raising my eyebrow as expertly as my daughter, I nodded my head. "You know what? Now that I think about it, those are an awful lot of presents she's getting for her birthday. She really doesn't need any for Christmas."

That got his attention.

"Okay, okay!" he shouted and stomped his foot from where he was sitting. "Geez, Bella, ya flippin' Scrooge. Two presents then. Two from each couple. That way I can get her one, and Rosie can get her one."

I smiled in satisfaction. "Okay, I can work with that." Using his words from earlier before I looked back at them. "And don't ever try and gang up on me again . . ."

Rosalie just started laughing. "We almost had you, though."

"You're evil," I teased back.

Alice and Jasper walked in a few minutes later carrying Emma, who instantly wanted down as soon as she got in sight of the living room.

Her mouth dropped open, and she stared in awe at the mountain of princess wrapping paper.

"Presents, Mama?" she asked in a daze.

We all laughed at how adorable she was.

"Yes, baby, those are all your presents for your party tomorrow."

"Pretty prin'ess." She smiled and looked at my brother.

"You're a pretty princess." He reached over to tickle her. She laughed and ran away, jumping right into Carlisle's lap.

"No, M&M, no. . . ." She laughed and bounced on Carlisle's lap a little too hard and made him wince.

"Easy, sweetheart, you're not a little baby anymore." He snickered and readjusted her to sit on his knees. "You're getting to be a big girl."

She turned around so she could face him and held up her pointer and middle finger, looking at them closely before showing them to him.

"I two, Papa."

He grinned softly. "That's right, Emma. Tomorrow, you are going to be two."

She smiled back before turning around, so she could see the rest of us.

Esme filled Alice and Jasper in on the system we devised for presents and let them know they were hosting Thanksgiving. Alice wanted Christmas, but she was fine after Rosalie offered to let her help with decorations.

Emma started to yawn, and I told everyone we would be back early to start decorating.

"Are you going to get her from my house tomorrow morning, or do you want to just meet up here?" I asked Alice as I put on Emma's jacket.

"We can just meet up here. I can get her ready upstairs while you and Mom are decorating. All the stuff is here anyways to get ready. "

"All right," I said through my own yawn, giggling softly. "We'll see everyone tomorrow."

The party turned out beautifully.

There were purple, pink, and white streamers everywhere. She had a castle, crown and happy birthday balloons scattered throughout the house. It took her over an hour to get through every last present, but she did it and then ran as fast as she could back outside to jump in the Jump-For-Fun. She loved that thing, barely came out of it . . . and I could only guess what Emmett was going to buy her for Christmas.

It was a great party. Emma was a little sad when the man had to take down her Jumpy, as she called it, but he did stay an extra three hours for her. Poor guy, he was another sucker for her brown eyes. We sent him home with a ton of food and cake to give to his kids, so he didn't mind too much, but apparently nine o'clock was his breaking point. Emma did give him a hug and told him thank you before he left, causing him to blush.

Edward borrowed Emmett's truck to take all the presents home, because there wasn't enough room for all of them plus Emma in the back seat of my car, even with the trunk space. I told him we'd bring it back tomorrow; we were all exhausted.

Emma made her rounds of kisses and hugs.

"Bye," her tiny voice yelled as we walked out the door.

I wasn't surprised that she was still wide awake when we pulled up to the house. She'd had a very exciting day and didn't really get a chance to wind down.

"Okay, sweetie, let's get you into the bath, and then Daddy and I will read you one of your new books."

"O-kay, Mama."

I was a little surprised that the house lights were still off, but I figured Edward must have crashed as soon as he got the presents unloaded.

I smiled softly and unlocked the door.

I found all her presents stacked in the living room and decided I would put a movie on for her while I got her bath ready and took some of her toys to her room.

"Prin'ess Frog, Mama." She bounced softly on the couch.

"Princess and the Frog, okay, but you only get to watch a little bit of it. I'm going to get your bath ready after I take some toys to your room."

I kissed her cheek and began trekking her toys upstairs.

I ended up making a few trips but figured it would be easier to bring all her toys to her room tonight than to wait for tomorrow. I saw her Princess Crown that Edward had stenciled her name on and wanted to hang that up above her bed. There was already a butterfly decoration hanging there, so instead of hammering a new hole to make room for her crown, I used the same nail and placed the butterfly on her dresser for the time being.

That had only taken a quick second, so I grabbed all her new books and placed them on her shelves, but I couldn't stop there. All the clothes that she had gotten were already on hangers, and I made quick work of separating them by color and hanging them up. I also had to put her new socks away and the many leggings she had gotten as well.

After I was finished, there were only a few toys that were in their boxes, which I pushed to the side of her room. _Those could wait for tomorrow._

I finally entered the bathroom and started the water, adding a few drops of bubbles for the tub. I watched the tub start to fill then left to get her pajamas ready and laid them on her bed.

I was walking back to turn the water off and heard what sounded like something slamming downstairs. "Emma, was that you?" I called down but got no response.

I quickly leaned down and shut off the water, and as I stood up, I slipped, slammed my head into the door and reached out to try and stop from falling but knocked all the stuff on the side of the tub onto the floor.

"Ow," I laughed at my clumsiness, while rubbing my head.

I picked the toys up and placed them in the water before I set the shampoo back on the edge of the tub.

I headed downstairs but noticed our bedroom door was open and poked my head inside.

"Edward?" I whispered in case he was asleep, but I saw the bed was empty.

I walked downstairs, thinking he would be watching the cartoon with Emma but saw the couch was vacant.

As soon as I shut the TV off, I heard it.

The quiet sob of my daughter as she called out to her daddy through her tears.

Desperately trying not to panic, I quickly followed her cries into the kitchen, skidding to a halt as soon as the lights flicked on.

He stood in the middle of the kitchen, leaning against the island. His face was covered in fresh scars, and one eye was slightly swollen shut, but I'd know that evil smirk anywhere.

"I've been waiting for you." His voice had sent a rapid jolt to every nerve ending in my body, instantly draining my lungs of all air, making me lightheaded.

Before I had a chance to fully panic, my daughters cry snapped me back to reality.

My eyes left James and focused on my crying daughter, who seemed to be huddled over something. It didn't take me long to figure out what, or should I say who, she was huddled over. Without a second thought, I scooped her into my arms and gazed into the bloodshot eyes of my husband.

"Oh God, Edward," I whispered, trying so hard to stay strong for my daughter. Besides his mouth having duct tape over it, his hands and legs were tied together. Carefully trying to keep Emma hidden away from James, I tucked her head further into my neck before I sat up on my knees, reaching across the counter for a knife. I glared at James the entire time until I had to look away to cut through the rope on Edward's hands. As soon as his hands and feet were free, he ripped the tape off his mouth before gathering me and Emma into his arms.

"Dad-dy," her tiny voice broke as she began to shake violently in my arms.

"Daddy's fine, baby. Daddy's fine." He tried to soothe her as he stared daggers at James.

"Isn't this so sweet?" I winced at the sound of his voice and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping this was all a bad dream. I felt Edward move next to me and then quickly opened my eyes when I heard James threaten him.

"Uh uh uh . . . Edward, drop the fucking knife. You wouldn't want my gun to accidentally go off, now would you?" James mocked.

"Fuck you," Edward spat.

"Tsk tsk, such language in front of a child."

"Ma-ma," my daughter cried out, squeezing my neck so tight.

"Mama's here, baby. Shh, it's going to be okay," I tried to calm her down; the truth was I had no idea how this was going to play out.

"What do you want, you sick bastard?" Edward demanded.

"You're a bright boy, you figure it out." James looked at me and winked.

"Don't even think about it," he growled at James. "That's _never_ going to happen. You might as well leave now."

I held my daughter tightly, trying to take the comfort of her little body wrapped around mine as a way to calm me down, but it wasn't working. As long as she was here, she was in danger.

"Please, James, please . . . just let my daughter go. She doesn't need to be around all this. I'm here. Edward's here. . . . You don't need her." I tried to control the shaking in my voice but was unsuccessful.

"Oh, but I think I do." He smirked and looked at Edward. "Seems like daddy here doesn't want to cooperate."

"Please, James, please . . . just let her go." Tears poured down my face as I begged on his deaf ears.

"Bring her here, Bella."

My heart dropped, and I held her even tighter. Edward was just as quick to stand up, blocking James's view of us.

"Bella, run," Edward hissed. "Take Emma and leave."

"Bella, don't even think about it. Bring her to me," he commanded.

"Bella, leave, now!" Edward shouted, which caused Emma to jump and scream.

It was complete chaos. Emma was screaming in my ear. Edward was yelling. James was yelling. . . . Leave or stay? . . . I was so torn. If I left, I knew Edward would be dead, and who's to say I would even make it to the door before James got to me. But if I brought Emma to James, who knows what that monster would do to her?

I stood up, contemplating what I should do until the cocking of a gun got my attention.

I looked over and saw James pointing the gun directly at Edward's head.

"Isabella, do not make me say it again."

I quickly looked over at Edward, who was currently glaring at James.

"Isabella, you bring her to me, and everyone lives. . . . If you try to run . . . I swear to you, they _both_ will die."

I believed him. I knew from the look on his face he was telling the truth, but it still scared the shit out of me.

Emma was still hysterical, and if I was going to think clearly, I needed to calm her down. It took a few minutes, but once everyone stopped yelling, I was able to calm her screaming down to quiet sobbing, gently soothing her and constantly rubbing up and down her back.

"You promise you won't hurt her," I pleaded.

"Bella," Edward started but was cut off by James.

"I promise, angel. If you do as I say, no one dies."

"Can't we wait until she falls asleep, please? She's so scared right now." I was desperate to hold on to her. I didn't want to hand her to him.

He just shook his head. "I don't have a lot of patience, angel."

"Okay. . . ." I slowly resigned. I've seen James at his worst. I knew what happened when he'd reached his breaking point, and Emma did not need to witness any of that.

I was not sure how it happened, or exactly what had happened. One minute, I was slowly walking toward James. The next, I was covering Emma's ears and holding her close to me, crouched against the wall of the kitchen as Edward and James began fighting for the gun. I tried not to look, but I was so scared for Edward. I had to know what was happening.

I saw both of them landing punch after punch on each other before finally they landed on the ground, each one trying to overpower the other.

"Shh, baby, it's going to be okay," I kept repeating to my screaming daughter. "It's going to be okay."

I needed to stay strong for my daughter. It would do her no good if I became hysterical as well. Even though every sob that she wretched from her body was killing me slowly, I had to try and stay strong.

But it was an almost impossible feat when you watch helplessly as your husband is bashed repeatedly in the face. Somehow James had gotten the upper hand and was currently using Edward's body as a punching bag.

I began to silently cry and continued to tell my daughter everything was going to be okay, as I watched Edward's head bang off the kitchen floor for the third time before something to the left caught my eye.

The gun.

And it was away from James.

There was no time for hesitation. With Emma still buried in my chest, I crawled as quickly as I could and picked up the gun, pointing it straight at James.

With one hand holding the gun and the other wrapped around my daughter, there was no way to cover her ears. She didn't need to see or hear anything, especially if I was going to be forced to kill James.

With a shaky breath, I tried to be as calm as I could for her.

"Emma, baby, Mama knows you're scared, but I need you to do something for me, okay?" Her little body continued to dry sob, while she clung to me tightly. "Mama needs you to keep your eyes closed, baby."

I wasn't sure if Emma had heard me or not, but apparently James had, and he dropped his hold on Edward and began to stand up, eyes locked with mine.

"Don't touch him again," I breathed out viciously.

"Bella, put the gun down." His voice was sickeningly sweet, but I didn't back down. The gun stayed aimed at his head. The same gun he had pointed at my husband, the same gun he was going to use to threaten my family. "Bella," he tried again, but I wasn't listening to him.

I didn't feel the tears that I knew were pouring down my face. I didn't pay attention to the croakiness of my voice. My sole focus was getting Emma to listen to me, without her seeing me with a gun in my hand. My eyes never left his, my deathly glare penetrating his ice cold eyes.

"Emma, I know you're scared, but I need you to cover your ears, baby. . . . You need to cover your ears and close your eyes as tight as you can."

"Bella, angel, what are you going to do?" James mocked with his evil smirk. "You see how scared she is. Put the gun down." He took one step, and my rage set in.

I never wanted to be responsible for killing someone, even a cold-hearted monster like James, but I would do whatever was needed to protect my daughter.

"Don't make me kill you, James." It came out as a sob. "I'll do it."

"No, you won't," he taunted.

Even staring down the barrel of a gun, he was still cocky. I raised my eyebrow in question, silently asking him why he would assume that.

He did a quick nod in the direction of my daughter and smirked again, never taking his eyes off mine. "You wouldn't make your own daughter watch you kill her father."

"You're right. I wouldn't," I stated and watched as he smiled as if he won.

But he misunderstood, and I shook my head. "Good thing my gun isn't aimed at Edward."

I watched his eyes widen in surprise before he quickly masked his fear.

He was leaving me with no other option, and I think James was beginning to realize how quickly his luck had run out.

"Emma, keep your eyes closed tight, baby, and cover your ears. . . . No matter what, don't look up." I could feel Emma's tiny hands loosen their hold on me and smiled sadly. "That's right, baby, cover your ears good and tight." I had been so caught up with keeping eye contact with James, I hadn't even seen Edward make his way over.

Before I could instruct her further, I felt her wrenched out of my arms and instantly cradled against her father.

"Dad-dy," my daughter sobbed in relief once she was enveloped safely in her daddy's arms.

"Shh, sweetheart, I got you. Baby girl, I got you." I could feel him against me, trying to reach for the gun.

"Bella," he croaked out. "I called the police. They are on their way."

I saw James's eyes tighten, and he glared at Edward.

This had to end.

"Get Emma out of here, Edward," I told him with a steady voice.

"Bella, love—"

"Now, Edward . . . I have to stop him." I took a small amount of pleasure at seeing the way James began to panic. He tried hard to hide it, but I noticed. "Now!"

I heard Edward tell me he loved me before he finally took Emma out of there.

The minute I heard the front door click shut, I became aware of everything, every little sound around me. The soft hum of the refrigerator, the water filter in the fish tank, James's sudden increase in breathing, even the sirens from far away outside were crystal clear.

But I didn't falter, the gun stayed aimed at his head.

As soon as he realized his pleading wasn't going to work with me, he returned to mocking me, testing my limits. . . . Bad move on his part.

"Come on, angel. . . . You and I both know you won't shoot me. . . . Hell, you probably don't even know how to pull the trigger. There's not much the cops can do to me without proof. I'll be out in a year . . . and I'll come back. I'll find you again. Nothing and no one will keep us apart. Besides, you shoot me, you go to jail."

"I could empty this entire clip into your chest and never once see the inside of a jail cell."

"You won't, though. . . . We both know that."

I watched his body get ready to move toward me.

Before he could even take a step, I pulled the trigger, not killing him, simply sending a warning shot, grazing his left ear.

His fingers reached to touch his ear, and I heard him yell under his breath when he brought them to his face and saw they were covered in blood. James quickly looked at me in surprise.

I glared at him through my puffy eyes, and because I had been crying so much, when I spoke, it came out raw and scratchy. "My father was the chief of police. Your first mistake was forgetting that fact. Your second mistake was being too stupid to think he wouldn't teach his kids how to handle a gun."

"Angel, put the gun down," he tried to plead again.

"You've terrorized me for years, and you've made it clear you're never going to stop." I continued to glare at him. Ignoring his pleas, I fired another shot—this one hitting the opposite ear.

Again, the room was filled with his screams.

"Damn it. Bella, put the gun down," James repeated.

My voice was shaky, but my hand was steady as I fired another shot. "You broke into my house."

"Aww!" he screamed and slapped his hand against the bullet hole on his right shoulder. "Fuck!"

It took him a few seconds to calm down enough to look back at me.

"Bella . . ." he said in an almost whimper.

"You tried to kill my husband." This time I aimed for his left knee, which caused him to drop to the ground immediately. He screamed in agony as he tried to hold onto his knee that was bleeding profusely.

But I ignored his screams; I ignored my tears that were still running down my cheeks. I ignored the sirens that were getting closer and closer. But I was beyond having any compassion for this monster.

"You tried to hurt my daughter."

"Isabella!" he cried out in desperation.

I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

I watched as the blood began to seep through his shirt, covering his entire chest in blood, yet all I kept seeing was my husband tied up in the corner, and my daughter crying hysterically, all because of this monster.

"Bel—" he sputtered as blood spat from his mouth.

I didn't hear what he wanted to say to me. My next and final shot echoed through the room as his lifeless body fell to the floor.

I watched the puddle of blood get bigger and bigger, and still, I couldn't find it in me to hate what I did.

I barely registered the police barging in the house or the EMTs looking over the body lying on my floor; it wasn't until I felt a familiar pair of strong arms wrap around me that I snapped myself out of it.

"Bella, talk to me. . . . Are you okay?"

I hugged my brother back as tightly as I could and nodded my head; tears blurred my vision once more as I held onto him for dear life.

"It's over, Emmett," I whispered into his neck. "It's over."

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**A/N: Review please, I think it'll help get the epilogue out quicker...**

**I have a few future stories in mind... won't be as long as this one though. **

**Make sure you put me in author alerts. **

**Again, thank you to you all especially Punkybumpkin for your kick ass beta-ing... Good luck with school and thanks for all your help.**

**And another thanks to arj818 for helping me beta this chapter. **


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